Faiq Bolkiah, a 28-year-old former Chelsea youth player, is the world's richest footballer with an estimated net worth of £15.7 billion ($20bn), dwarfing the fortunes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. Despite never making a first-team appearance in England, Bolkiah's wealth comes from his family: he is the son of Prince Jefri Bolkiah and nephew of the Sultan of Brunei, placing him in line to inherit a portion of the Bruneian royal family's £200bn fortune.
For comparison, Ronaldo's net worth is estimated at £908.6 million ($1.2bn) and Messi's at £833m ($1.1bn), according to Forbes. Bolkiah's personal wealth could buy the Dallas Cowboys, the most valuable sports franchise at £10.2bn, and still leave him with £5bn. However, his football career has not matched his financial status.
Bolkiah came through the academy systems at Southampton, Chelsea, and Leicester City but failed to break into the first team. He later joined Portuguese club Maritimo, a move he regrets, and now plays for Thai League 1 side Ratchaburi, where he made only two appearances in the 2025/26 season. He has no chance of playing in the World Cup.
Reflecting on his time at Chelsea, Bolkiah recalled a youth match against Southampton's Under-16s: 'We went there and lost 8-0 or 9-0, but it was one of the best games I've ever played in my life... I showed a lot of what I could do.' Despite his struggles on the pitch, he remains the wealthiest footballer in the world.
