Richest football player in the world finds himself without a club

Faiq Bolkiah, the captain of the Brunei national team, is now without a club at the age of 28, following the expiration of his contract with Ratchaburi in Thailand after three seasons with the team in the Thai league.

Bolkiah is widely known as the 'richest football player in the world', not due to his football earnings, but because he is a member of the royal family of Brunei. He is the nephew of Hassanal Bolkiah, the Sultan of Brunei, whose wealth is estimated to be over 18 billion euros, according to media reports, with the family's wealth linked to the country's oil and gas resources.

Despite his wealth, Faiq Bolkiah has not managed to achieve a prominent career in European football. The player has had experiences in the academies of Southampton, Leicester, and Chelsea, and has participated in several matches in the UEFA Youth League with Leicester, but he has not appeared in the Premier League or the Portuguese league.

Balkia has moved to Thai football, playing with Ratchaburi since 2022, but he has not achieved remarkable offensive numbers, having scored only four goals in 49 matches, according to data from Transfermarkt.

On the international stage, Balkia has played three matches for Brunei, all as captain, during the period between 2016 and 2018.

According to the report, Belqia does not need football to secure his financial future, but rather practices it as a personal passion. With his contract with Ratchaburi ending, he is now a free agent and can look for a new club to continue his career, although his family wealth means he does not rely on football as a source of living.