Professional footballers are known to enjoy lucrative salaries and other enviable bonuses, both on and off the pitch. Did you know who is the richest player among the world's professional footballers?
In the last two decades, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have taken the world by storm with their supreme performance and various unsurpassed achievements. Recent years also saw the rise of Kylian Mbappe, whose new contract extension with PSG has catapulted him into the upper realm of the football world. Given these three players’ profiles, many people would think that the richest footballer on the globe would be one of the trio. However, contrary to popular belief, none of them qualify. In fact, the title belongs to Faiq Bolkiah, the nephew of the Sultan of Brunei.
Who is Faiq Bolkiah?
According to The Sun, The Bruneian footballer is the son of Brunei's megarich Prince Jefri Bolkiah, while his uncle Hassanal is Sultan of the oil-rich Asian country. His father is famous for being a ‘notorious playboy’ who had ‘probably gone through more cash than any other human being on earth.’ Faiq Bolkia is also one of the heirs to Hassanal Bolkiah's £13 billion fortune, which gives him the so-called title of the richest footballer.
Despite being entitled to a privileged, outlandish life in Brunei, Faiq Bolkiah was soon sent to the UK for education, an action that his father described was to help him avoid the ‘orgiastic’ wealth of his family. Regardless of his aristocratic background, the young man still maintains a strong passion for football and set his heart on pursuing a serious professional career.
In an interview with Four Four Two, Faiq Bolkiah said:
'I've played football since as early as I can remember, and from a young age, I've always enjoyed going out on the field and having the ball at my feet.'
Which teams has Faiq Bolkiah played for?
In 2009, after undergoing all levels of youth football with AFC Newbury, Faiq signed a one-year deal with Southampton's youth academy, a dream destination for many ambitious young players. The academy has established its standing after introducing various wunderkinds to the world of football, such as Theo Walcott, Luke Shaw, and Gareth Bale.
Mirror reports that at his first professional club, the Bruneian young man wasn’t able to compete for a first-team position amid other talented players. In order not to waste his potential, Southampton decided to send him to Arsenal on trial in 2013 so that he could get more quality playing time and hone up his skills.
His up-to-par performance got him a new two-year contract at Chelsea in 2014. However, the squad was too cramped and the pressure was too much at Stamford Bridge, resulting in the departure of Faiq and other young talents, including Andreas Christensen and Mohamed Salah. In 2015, Faiq chose Leicester City as his new club, signing a three-year deal. At the Foxes, Faiq didn’t enjoy much playing time either and was often put in substitutes for the young team.
What is Faiq Bolkiah's current team?
His nomad career seems to have stopped following his move to Thai side Chonburi FC. The winger has yet to score any goal but already nailed three amazing assists, contributing to Choburi’s 6th place in the league. Mirror claims his impressive form at Chonburi might help him secure a contract extension or even a move back to Europe. Quoting on Faiq’s great performance in Thai top-flight, Chonburi boss Sasit Singtothong said:
'First of all, we can feel that he is professional - he didn't want any special privileges more than a professional footballer will receive. I believe he will be a good choice for us attacking because he has great skill and ability, including having experience as well. He has also played a lot in England. It will be good for our club to fight for the Thai League for sure.'
