Former Roma man Nainggolan: ‘McTominay is average… he can score and that’s it’

Nainggolan: I was better than McTominay & Calhanoglu

The Belgian did not stop there, comparing himself to a range of midfielders past and present. “At my peak I was better than him and Hakan Çalhanoğlu, but I put Nicolò Barella above myself. He doesn’t always score many goals, but when he does they are important, and you can always feel the difference when he plays.”

He added: “I really like Kevin De Bruyne, he sees things others don’t. I’d put him above me. And if you mention Luka Modrić… he has always been one of the best in the world.”

Nainggolan also reflected on Serie A, insisting Inter’s title win came as no surprise.

“If you asked me at the start of the season, I would always have said Inter. They have the strongest squad and play the best football. Napoli and Milan got close, but they don’t have the same consistency.”

PARMA, ITALY – APRIL 12: Scott McTominay of Napoli SSC reacts during the Serie A match between Parma Calcio 1913 and SSC Napoli at Stadio Ennio Tardini on April 12, 2026 in Parma, Italy. (Photo by Emmanuele Ciancaglini/Getty Images)

On Roma, he added: “It’s difficult to judge them, they are inconsistent. I don’t like the style of play, and with a player like Dybala you expect more games. Roma should never be outside the top four.”