Inside the Life of Faiq Bolkiah: The Richest Footballer You’ve Never Heard Of

If you’re a true follower of the beautiful game, you’ve likely heard of Faiq Bolkiah, the footballer who is wealthier than Mbappe, Neymar, Messi, and Cristiano Ronaldo combined. As of 2024, Faiq Bolkiah, the nephew of the Sultan of Brunei, remains the world’s richest footballer, with a staggering wealth of over 18.698 billion euros, or an estimated net worth of $20 billion.

This article uncovers the lesser-known details of Faiq Bolkiah’s life, exploring his journey as a former player for Chelsea and Leicester City and highlighting his continued presence in the sport during the 2024/2025 season. We’ll delve into his royal heritage as an important member of the Brunei royal family, being the son of Prince Jefri Bolkiah and the nephew of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah. Interestingly, Faiq Bolkiah himself is in line to become the Sultan of Brunei. Now, let’s dive into the fascinating life story of this footballer with royal roots.

While it is well-known that Faiq Bolkiah is the richest football player in the world, not many fans have delved into his fascinating biography. This story offers a deeper look into Faiq Bolkiah’s life, covering his childhood, early years, family background, and details about his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Jefri Bolkiah.

You’ll also learn about his siblings—Bahar Bolkiah, Abdul Hakeem Jefri Bolkiah, and Hamidah Jamalul Bolkiah—and how his upbringing shaped the person he is today. To give you a taste of Faiq Bolkiah’s remarkable journey, we’ve prepared a photo gallery that visually narrates key moments from his life. Without further ado, let’s dive into his story.

Faiq Bolkiah’s Childhood Story:

For Biography starters, Faiq Jefri Bolkiah was born on the 9th day of May 1998 in Los Angeles, California, USA.

Similar to John McGinn and Kalvin Phillips, the footballer is one of a set of twins born to his little-known mother and to his father, Jefri Bolkiah (Prince of Brunei). 

Although Faiq was born in America and possesses dual nationality (American and Bruneian), he mostly grew up at the United Kingdom under the care of his guardian -Dennis Wallace (an ex-NBA professional). 

Faiq Bolkiah’s Early Life and Growing-Up Years:

The footballer grew up in Berkshire in the UK alongside his siblings – Bahar Bolkiah, Abdul Hakeem Jefri Bolkiah, and Hamidah Jamalul Bolkiaha. Also, a cousin, Ukasyah. Early on, young Faiq was a lover of soccer who was always happy to go out on fields with a ball at his feet. 

In fact, football was a sport that took centre stage in his childhood.

Faiq Bolkiah Family Background:

Even before moving to the UK from his native country – Brunei (where he partly grew up), Faiq was already a football enthusiast, and his wealthy parents were supportive of his passion.

As such, they sent him 11,000 kilometres from Brunei to study and develop himself in football at the United Kingdom, away from the distractions that come with his family’s wealth.

Faiq Bolkiah Education and Career Buildup:

Thanks to the care and strictness of his guardian – Dennis Wallace, Faiq was able to efficiently blend academics at Woolton Hill Junior in Berkshire with playing football for the village’s side – Woolton Hill Argyle.

The football prodigy went to study at Thorngrove Prep School in the nearby village of Highclere while his guardian began making moves that would eventually see the then 11-year-old start playing for AFC Newbury’s in 2009.

Faiq Bolkiah Biography – Early Career Life:

Did you know that Faiq stood out in his first season at AFC Newbury’s for his eye-catching skills and intelligence with the ball?

Above all, the youngster was immensely down to earth, such that only a few management staff accidentally knew of his wealthy family background. 

Such low-key dispositions were not different when Faiq began playing for Southampton in the next season. The humble youngster went on to have a brief trial with Reading F.C. before joining Arsenal F.C. in the year 2013. At that time, the club was home to young talents like Emile Smith Rowe and Bukayo Saka in their academy.

Journey to Football Fame:

It was with Arsenal that a 15-year-old Faiq won his first significant title as he got his name on the scoresheet to help The Gunners’ U15 side win the Lion City Cup tournament against a Singaporean youth selection in Singapore. 

When Faiq boded farewell to Arsenal in 2014, he was optimistic about a brighter future with Chelsea F.C., to which he lent his signature that same year.

However, things went south, as he wasn’t given enough playtime with the club’s youth systems.

Faiq Bolkiah Biography – Rise To Fame Story:

Thus, the ambitious lad left the team a year later, in 2015, to have a trial with Stoke City before signing for Leicester City in 2016.  Upon signing for the Foxes, Faiq was a regular feature for the Foxes academy teams, including in the 2016/17 UEFA Youth League. 

Fast forward to March 2020, Faiq plays for Leicester’s reserve team, and he has yet to make his debut in first-team action for the Foxes despite being the famous captain of Brunei’s national team.

More so, despite being widely known as the world’s richest footballer. Whichever direction his career tilts, the rest, as they say, will always be history. 

Faiq Bolkiah Family Life:

It is nearly impossible to talk about Faiq Bolkiah without making references to his fantastic family. We bring you facts about Faiq Bolkiah’s family members, beginning with his parents.

About Faiq Bolkiah’s Father:

Jefri Bolkiah is the father of the winger. He was born on the 6th day of November 1954 to Omar Ali Saifuddien III, the 28th Sultan of Brunei.

Thus, Jefri is a Prince and heir to the throne, but he did not become Sultan. Instead, his older brother, Crown Prince Hassanal Bolkiah, took over the throne after Omar made the decision to abdicate.

Jefri was once the Finance minister of the oil-rich Brunei. He is extraordinarily wealthy and lives an extravagant lifestyle. 

About Faiq Bolkiah’s Mother:

At the time of drafting Faiq Bolkiah’s biography in April 2020, not much was known about his mother.

However, the winger did once reveal that his mom and dad were supportive in helping him achieve his dreams of being a footballer.

In fact, he regards them as role models for training him both psychologically and physically. In other words, it would be a great disservice to write about Faiq Bolkiah’s childhood story without acknowledging the roles of his supportive parents. 

About Faiq Bolkiah’s Siblings:

Not many people know that Faiq has a twin sister named Qiana Faiq Bolkiah. Qiana is the beautiful female version of Faiq. Other notable siblings are; Bahar Bolkiah, Abdul Hakeem Jefri Bolkiah, Hamidah Jamalul Bolkiah.

Faiq and his twin, Qiana love and cherish each other and have a cute photo that speaks of the chemistry between them. Aside from Qiana, Faiq has other blood siblings and half-siblings, about whom not much is known.

About Faiq Bolkiah’s Relatives:

Moving on to Faiq Bolkiah’s ancestry and family roots, his paternal grandfather was Omar Ali Saifuddien III, while there are no records of his other grandparents.

Faiq’s uncle is Crown Prince Hassanal Bolkiah, the Sultan of Brunei, while one of his cousins goes by the name Ukasyah. However, Faiq’s aunts, nephews, and nieces are not well-known. 

Personal Life away from football:

Speaking of traits that define Faiq Bolkiah’s persona, did you know that he is driven by passion, humility, and focus?

Also, the winger is hardworking and ambitious, like individuals born under the Taurus zodiac sign.

When Faiq is not training or playing football, he can be found engaging in interests and hobbies that include playing basketball, riding horses, travelling, swimming and having a good time with his family and friends.

Faiq Bolkiah Lifestyle:

Regarding how Faiq Bolkiah makes and spends his money, did you know that his net worth in 2020 stands at an estimated sum of over $20 billion?

The bulk of the winger’s wealth has origins from his inheritance as a member of Brunei’s Royal family. Also, Faiq makes significant income from endorsing brands like Nike as well as from the wages and salaries he receives for playing football.

Needless to say, Faiq can live in any house he wishes, regardless of the costs. He also owns luxury cars and cruises in super-expensive rides that are part of convoys.

Facts About Faiq Bolkiah:

To wrap up our Faiq Bolkiah childhood story and biography, here are lesser-known facts about the winger. 

Faiq Bolkiah Religion:

Faiq is a believer who practices Sunni Islam. The belief is predominant in Brunei (accounting for about 67% of the nation’s religion). It is also the religion of the country’s Royal family. 

Love for Pet:

It is not every time that you see football players own big cats as pets, especially when the cat is a tiger. That’s what exactly Faiq owns. He has had the tiger with him since when it was a cub.

Faiq Bolkiah Trivia:

Faiq Bolkiah’s birth year – 1998, was a significant year of technological and entertainment events. It was the year in which the search engine Google was founded. 1998 saw the release of popular films like Titanic and Saving Private Ryan.

Conclusion

Thank you for taking the time to read this engaging biography of Faiq Bolkiah. We are committed to providing fair, storytelling and accurate accounts of footballers and the experiences that shaped them. Stay tuned for more stories, as those of Harvey Barnes and Jaidon Anthony will excite you.

If you spot any inaccuracies or have more information to contribute, please don’t hesitate to reach out or leave a comment below. Your feedback on Bolkiah’s story is valuable in helping us enhance our content and maintain its high quality.