Faiq Bolkiah: What's happened to the world's richest footballer who was at Arsenal and Chelsea? | OneFootball

If you haven’t heard of Faiq Bolkiah, then let us tell you about one of modern football’s most interesting players.

Bolkiah’s on-pitch achievements are scarce. He represents Brunei at International level but hasn’t achieved much in the game.

Yet the midfielder still boasts a list of former clubs that includes Southampton, Chelsea and Leicester City, as well as a trial with Arsenal.

So why are we bringing him to your attention?

Because he’s rich. Filthy rich.

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The Bolkiah family

Bolkiah comes from wealth. His uncle is Hassanal Bolkiah, the Sultan of Brunei, and in a 2019 article by the Insider it was reported that Hassanal has 500 Rolls-Royces and regularly spends $20,000 to get his hair cut.

Hassanal was one the richest man in the world, worth as much as $40 billion, and his nephew Faiq is one beneficiary of that.

Indeed, he’s even met the Queen.

Faiq is worth an estimated $20 billion, which makes him the richest footballer in the world by some distance

By comparison, Cristiano Ronaldo is valued by Goal at £363 million.

What's happened to Bolkiah?

Yet such riches haven’t afforded Faiq a fruitful football career and his career has just taken a turn for the worse.

The 23-year-old has been released by Portuguese side Maritimo after just more than a year at the club.

“We have reached an agreement with the player Faiq Bolkiah to rescind his contract,” a club statement read, per The Sun.

“We thank the player for the effort and dedication he has shown in service of our club, and sincerely wish him professional and personal happiness.”

Faiq failed to make a senior appearance for Maritimo. Before joining the Portuguese outfit he spent four years at Leicester, where he also didn’t manage to suit up for the first team.

So it’s been a struggle for the United States-born midfielder.

But at least he’ll be able to comfort himself in the fact that he doesn’t really need to succeed in football.

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