It is often assumed that the highest-earning footballers, such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, are also the wealthiest. However, there are exceptions, especially when royalty is involved. No footballer earns wages comparable to Ronaldo, who receives approximately £3.42 million per week from his contract with Saudi Pro League club Al-Nassr at age 41. Messi's annual salary at Inter Miami is around £20.2 million. Yet, these multimillionaires are far behind Faiq Bolkiah.
The Wealth of Faiq Bolkiah
Faiq Bolkiah, aged 25, is of Bruneian descent but was born in Los Angeles. His net worth is estimated at £15.7 billion ($20 billion). He is the son of Jefri Bolkiah, a member of the Bruneian royal family, and the nephew of the Sultan of Brunei. This family connection positions him to inherit part of the royal family's £200 billion fortune.
According to Forbes, Ronaldo's net worth is about £908.6 million ($1.2 billion), while Messi's is around £833 million ($1.1 billion). Combined, they are still far from Bolkiah's wealth, which is seven times larger. For context, Bolkiah could purchase the Dallas Cowboys, the most valuable sports franchise at £10.2 billion, and still have £5 billion left.
Football Career
Despite his wealth, Bolkiah's football career has not matched his financial status. Now 28, he had a challenging time in England, coming through academies at Southampton, Leicester, and Chelsea but failing to make the grade. He was first noticed by Southampton at age 13 and later joined Chelsea. During a heavy defeat for Southampton's Under-16s against Chelsea, Bolkiah caught attention.
He recalled to Mainstand: "At the time, Chelsea's age group was very strong. They won everything. It included Tammy Abraham, Fikayo Tomori, and many top players. We lost 8-0 or 9-0, but it was one of the best games I've played." He earned a contract with Chelsea but struggled, leaving in December 2015 for Leicester City. He described his time at Leicester as "amazing" but never made a first-team appearance, moving on in 2020 to Portuguese club Maritimo, a decision he later regretted.
Bolkiah said: "Maritimo said I would play, but that didn't happen. I definitely regret moving there. There was a lot of politics involved." He now plays for Thai League 1 side Ratchaburi, making only two appearances in the 2025/26 season. He has no chance of playing in the World Cup but believes Asia was the right move: "I couldn't risk going to another club that signs me for reasons outside football."
While his football career may not have reached the heights of Ronaldo or Messi, Bolkiah remains the richest footballer in the world, a title that neither superstar can claim.
