“Like I Was a Piece of S**t” – Ex-Inter Milan Superstar Admits Being Treated Like a ‘Parasite’ by His Hometown Team and Now Plays for ‘Peanuts’

Soccer players sometimes fall out with the club or its officials. There have been several examples where players call the club and the officials out. Who can forget the explosive interview of Cristiano Ronaldo in recent times? Now, the former Inter Milan player has come out and criticized his former club and president for his treatment at the club. 

The player in question is the former Belgian international Radja Nainggolan. The former Serie A winner with Inter Milan has hit out at the former president for treating him like a “piece of s**t.” Nainggolan plays for Italian second-division club SPAL after mutually ending his contract with the club in question, Antwerp in December 2022, for not treating the Belgian well.

Former Inter Milan star hits out at Antwerp and its president

While hitting out at his former club president, Nainggolan said he earns peanuts at the current club but is very happy playing for them. They treat him well, unlike Antwerp. “In Antwerp, they treated me like a parasite, like I was a piece of s***. They took Marc Overmars as sporting director to try to get me back into the main team, but nobody dared to go against the president,” said the 34-year-old while speaking to Antwerp Gazette.

Speaking of the president, Nainggolan said, “But the president even forced me to leave the country and I will never forgive him. In SPAL I play in exchange for ‘peanuts’ but with pleasure, I enjoy.” He seems to be enjoying his spell in Serie B with SPAL and has made five appearances so far in the league with a goal to his name. 

Nainggolan joined Antwerp in 2021 after mutually terminating his contract with Inter. He wanted to be in his home country, to be with his daughters. His first season went well, but controversies crept in. In October 2022, the club indefinitely suspended the player over his arrest for driving with an expired license. Later, the club forced him to train with the B team after he smoked an e-cigarette on the bench.

Counterclaims from Antwerp president

Meanwhile, when Nainggolan left in December 2022, Antwerp’s president claimed the midfielder had no place at the club. His indiscipline was the primary reason, according to the club chief. The president even compared the player with Real Madrid player Luka Modric.

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He said, “You have players like Modric who are still fit at the age of 36, and you have players who are no longer doing well at the age of 30. Radja is among them. I think his story is written, despite his talent. Disciplinary, he is no longer able to live as a top athlete.”

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What do you think of the whole saga between the player and the Antwerp President? Let us know in the comments.