Why is Faiq Bolkiah the richest football player in the world?

Son of Jefri Bolkiah, Prince of Brunei and nephew of Hassanal Bolkiah, the current Sultan of Brunei, it is needless to say Faiq will never have to chase money in his life. Let’s find out why is Faiq Bolkiah the richest football player in the world?

Bio

Full name: Faiq Jefri Bolkiah
Date of birth: 9 May 1998
Place of birth: Los Angeles, California, United States 
Nationality: Bruneian 
Current team: Chonburi Football Club
Position: Midfielder

Also Read – Top 10 richest active male footballers in the world in 2022

Career History

Youth Career

Faiq Bolkiah spent large chunks of his youth career at academies of famous clubs. His first stint in English football came through the youth academy of AFC Newbury. He was at the club from 2008 to 2009. 

Bolkiah then joined Southampton FC, where he remained from 2009 to 2011. He followed this up with trials at Arsenal FC in 2013 and Chelsea FC between 2014 and 2015.

Bolkiah’s most-recognised stint in English football came with Leicester City FC, where he first arrived in 2016. This is precisely when the football world took notice of the world’s richest footballer. He spent four years with the Foxes, creating a buzz around the English football scene. 

Senior Career

Bolkiah currently plays for Thai footballing side Chonburi. Since 2021, he has made only ten appearances for them and has not scored a single goal thus far, though he has provided three assists. Prior to joining the Thai side, Bolkiah had a stint at Club Sport Marítimo B, a Portuguese side for whom he made just one appearance. It is also pertinent to note that Bolkiah is still only 23 years old and has sufficient time to establish himself as a senior professional footballer.

Bolkiah has had a little more success for his national side, though. He plays for the Brunei national team on the left wing. He has made six senior appearances for his national side and has netted on one occasion. Moreover, the youngster has also captained his national side, a feat not a lot of footballers achieve at such a young age. 

Also Read – Top 10 richest active male footballers in the world in 2022

Why is Faiq Bolkiah the richest football player in the world?

It was quite a revelation when the news broke out that Bolkiah is the wealthiest player in the world. However, it is not his footballing ability nor his stature in the sport that has earned him his riches. Unlike most players in the footballing industry who end up extremely wealthy as a result of prize money, expensive employment contracts and sponsorship deals, Bolkiah was fortunate enough to have been born into an incredibly wealthy family. 

The Brunei national is the son of the Sultan of Brunei, Prince Jefri. Jefri has been dubbed to own over two-thousand cars, which include cars from brands like Bentley and Ferrari. As an heir to his father’s wealth, Bolkiah is estimated to have a claim to a US$200bn fortune. This particular fact sets him apart from the rest of the footballing roster. Because of his connections to the royal family of Brunei, Faiq Bolkiah is the richest footballer in the world. 

However, the young man is determined to make it as a footballer due to his sheer love for the sport and nothing less. He claims to have support from his family in this regard. So far, Bolkiah has been trying to find his feet in club football in various leagues. It is yet to be seen whether he can leave a real mark on the sport as a footballer.