I was just injured – Belgium´s Nainggolan blasts ´stupid´ claims of feigned ailment

Radja Nainggolan has responded angrily to reports that he faked an injury in order to miss Belgium’s friendly double-header against Mexico and Japan.

The Roma midfielder pulled out of the squad with a groin injury after returning to the fold, having previously been overlooked by coach Roberto Martinez.

Some reports in Belgium suggested Nainggolan feigned the ailment to excuse his absence ahead of his scoring return in the Rome derby, but the frustrated 29-year-old responded by pointing out that he would be better served battling for a World Cup place, insisting the claims were not true.

“I read things that are not true, that I faked an injury so I wouldn’t have to play for Belgium,” Nainggolan wrote on Twitter.

“Why don’t you contact the doctors to check my record? You would see I had a tear. The Belgium commentary is rubbish sometimes. I was just injured.

“This week I also didn’t train because there was a risk. These are such stupid articles I read.

“A player who was absent for the last squad is eager to prove himself for the World Cup, right? What is going on?”

Ik lees dingen die niet kunnen dat ik alspf gekwetst was om niet te spelen bij de rode duivels… waarom contacteren jullie de dokters niet om men controles te bekijken? En zien jullie zelf het scheurtje dat ik had..belgische commentaar soms echt drama.. had gwn gerecupereerd 1/2

— Radja Nainggolan (@OfficialRadja) November 19, 2017

2/2 en ik heb deze week ook niet getraind dus was een risico… zo een domme commentaren dat ik lees… een speler die er niet bij is geweest zou sowieso willen spelen om zih te bewijzen voor het wk… wat is me dat allemaal.

— Radja Nainggolan (@OfficialRadja) November 19, 2017

After sitting out of the international break, Nainggolan struck a brilliant winner for Roma against Lazio on Saturday.