Faiq Bolkiah, a 25-year-old midfielder from Brunei, is the richest footballer in the world. He is the nephew and heir of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, who has a net worth of $20 billion. In contrast, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, the two most famous footballers of our time, have fortunes of around $690 million and $620 million respectively.
Bolkiah plays for Ratchaburi, a Thai club that ranks eighth in the first division. He is also the captain of the Brunei national team. He has a passion for football and does not let his wealth distract him from his career.
Bolkiah started playing football at AFC Newbury’s academy in England. In 2009, he joined Southampton and later Arsenal. He also represented Chelsea in a youth tournament and scored a goal against Singapore. In 2014, he signed a two-year contract with Chelsea’s youth team, but left before it expired. In 2016, he moved to Leicester City, where he stayed until 2020.
Bolkiah’s father, Prince Jefri Bolkiah, was the finance minister of Brunei for a decade. He resigned in 1998 after being accused of embezzling $15 billion from the state. He owns a vast fortune, which he used to build a stadium where he hosted private concerts by Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston.
