After five years in Thailand, between Chonbur and Ratchabur, Faiq Bolkiah is now without a team. It matters little to the Los Angeles-born footballer, who certainly doesn't need a salary to live: he is the nephew of the Sultan of Brunei and has a fortune that would make Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo blush with envy, which has enabled him to become the richest footballer in the world, despite being practically unknown.
His football career never took off to the expected level and at the age of 28 he finds himself without a contract, looking for a new adventure to continue his journey.
Who is Faiq Bolkiah, the richest footballer in the world?
His name is not very well known among football fans, because he has never played for the first team in a European championship. But Faiq Bolkiah can rightly claim to be the footballer who owns the greatest wealth in the world, certainly not because of his sporting merits. He is the son of Prince Jefri Bolkiah and grandson of the Sultan of Brunei and is estimated to have a net worth of more than 18 billion euros.
Not bad for a left winger who has spent recent years playing in Thailand, far from the big European football where he first took his first steps. Bolkiah has come through the academies of Southampton, Chelsea and Leicester, but has never managed to play for the first team. In Europe, he has only made a few appearances with Maritimo, before moving to Southeast Asia in 2021.
At the age of 28, he is without a team after his contract with Ratchaburi in Thai League 1 expired, but this is not a big problem for him, as he can live without a salary as a footballer. He made his debut for the first team of Brunei in 2016 as captain, but has made only a few appearances over the years.
Without a team at the age of 28
After two spells in Thailand, he found himself out of contract at the age of 28 and has yet to find a team to play for in the summer. Two years ago he suffered a serious injury, breaking a leg, and has played less and less since then, accumulating a series of stints on the bench in his final season before his contract expired last June.
Even without a team, Faiq Bolkiah remains by far the richest footballer of all, much richer than Cristiano Ronaldo, with 18 billion euros in wealth and an uncle Sultan.
