Faiq Jefri Bolkiah is not a household name like Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo. But he is the wealthiest footballer on the planet at the moment. What is Faiq Bolkiah net worth? Who is he? Let’s take a deeper look.
Who is the richest footballer in the world? If you don’t know for sure, there’s no reason for you to assume that Bolkiah tops the chart. The CS Maritimo winger is yet to enjoy mentionable success as a footballer.
But, how did he trump football’s biggest names when it comes to accumulated wealth? What’s the source of his vast riches? This article will answer all of those questions.
Faiq Bolkiah Net Worth
| Faiq Bolkiah Net Worth 2023 | $20 Billion |
Who Is Faiq Bolkiah?
Faiq Bolkiah is a Brunei international who was recently released by Premier League club Leicester City. He had been at the club for four seasons but failed to make any senior appearances.
Recently, Bolkiah joined Portuguese Primeira Liga club CS Martimio as he is trying to launch his career to the next level. Besides football, Bolkiah also has a profound political identity.
Faiq is a member of the Bruneian Royal Family. He is the son of Prince Jefri Bolkiah. His uncle Hassanal Bolkiah is the reigning Sultan of Brunei. However, he never indicated that he is interested in politics.
Faiq Bolkiah was born in Los Angeles, USA and was eligible to represent the US Men’s National Team. US youth team scouts had scouted Bolkiah, but he chose to play for Brunei.
Faiq has both American and Bruneian passports. He received his educational degrees in the United Kingdom and graduated from Bradfield College in Berkshire County.
Brunei is a country that sits on a vast stock of natural resources. So, it shouldn’t come as a big surprise to anyone that Brunei royalty would have more money than other wealthy footballers.
Jefri Bolkiah, Faiq’s father, is the younger brother of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah. Jefri Bolkiah is known for his lavish lifestyle and is said to have more than 2300 luxury cars in his collection.
In a 2018 feature on Faiq, the Spanish newspaper Marca mentioned that the winger has a net worth of $20 billion. Which dwarves the likes of Ronaldo ($450 million) and Messi ($400m).
However, he has yet to earn big paychecks from football. When he was on Leicester City’s books, he was reported to be on an annual salary of £130,000. Sounds like pocket change for him, huh?
Faiq keeps a relatively low profile on social media. He mostly posts training session photos, but sometimes you could spot him posting some out-of-the-ordinary stuff, like playing with his pet tiger cub.
Faiq Bolkiah Family
Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah is the world’s second longest-running monarch after Queen Elizabeth II. He assumed power in 1967 and is estimated to have a net worth of $28 billion.
One of Faiq’s cousins, Prince Abdul Azim, 38, made headlines earlier this year when he passed away because of organ failure. Azim was an aspiring Hollywood producer and had many celebrity acquaintances.
Faiq’s father, Jefri Bolkiah, cuts a controversial figure in Brunei. He is known for his eccentric lifestyle. Paying Micheal Jackson $7m for a private party performance is an example of his eccentricities.
But, he found himself in troubled waters after the Brunei government accused him of embezzling government money. Jefri had to pay the government around $15 billion to escape other punishments.
Faiq Bolkiah Career
Faiq Bolkiah was born in Los Angeles, but he spent most of his childhood in the UK. Growing up in British culture made him fall in love with the game of football.
He got his start in grassroots football at now-defunct AFC Newbury. While playing for the Berkshire team, he caught the eye of Southampton’s famed youth setup scouts.
He spent two years at Southampton, but the club didn’t make any effort to tie him down at the club. Bolkiah then moved on and trialled at FC Reading and Arsenal.
For Arsenal, Bolkiah participated in the 2013 Lion City Cup in Singapore. He also scored a goal for the Gunners in the youth competition against a select Singapore youth side.
In 2014, he got into the youth setup at Chelsea. But he wasn’t eligible for a professional contract yet since he didn’t finish school by then. So, he remained a part of the junior team there for a couple of years.
After graduating from school, Bolkiah was pondering his long-term future. Chelsea was brimming with young talents at that time and was sending a lot of them on loan.
It was obvious that the odds of making it as a senior player in Chelsea were incredibly slim for Faiq. So, he looked for other options, and along came Leicester City.
Faiq Bolkiah Leicester City
After leaving Chelsea in December 2015, Faiq attended a trial at Stoke City. Then, he signed a three-year deal with Leicester City, who had recently become Premier League champions.
Bolkiah featured heavily in FA and UEFA youth tournaments for the Foxes. After the end of his three-year tenure, Bokiah found himself nowhere near the first team, but Leicester still handed him a one-year extension.
But 2020 failed to be the breakthrough year for Bolkiah at Leicester. His performance levels dropped, and he was phased out of Leicester’s academy team starting lineups.
It was evident that Bolkiah’s future lay elsewhere. So, he moved on a free transfer from Leicester in October 2020. He is now on the roster of Primeira Liga outfit CS Maritimo.
Faiq Bolkiah International Career
Faiq Bolkiah is only 24 years old, but he already shoulders the responsibility of captaining the Brunei national football team. He is the only player in the team with top-tier European football exposure.
Faiq has played for Brunei at three age levels (U-19, U-21, U-23) before making the jump to the senior team. He made his senior team debut in 2016.
Final Say
Faiq Bolkiah’s net worth puts him above any other footballer in the world. But, Faiq has made it clear that he intends to ascend the ladder of success on his own merit.
Faiq Bolkiah’s persistence to improve himself as a footballer could see him become one of the superstars of the game. Currently aged 24, it is safe to say that his prime years are still to come.
He also established himself as a key figure for the Brunei national team. He earned six caps for The Wasps and scored a goal. While he serves as the beacon of hope for Brunei football.
