Who is The Richest Soccer Player in the World Right Now?
When you think of the richest soccer player in the world, your mind might jump to the best soccer players in the world such as Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, or even a retired footballer like David Beckham. These are some of the highest rated players in football history who have or had impressive contracts with the world’s biggest clubs, sponsorship deals, and/or their own clothing lines. However, even with all of their success in football at the club and international levels, none of them hold the title of the richest soccer player in the world.
Instead, that honor goes to a name most football fans might not recognize—Faiq Bolkiah.
Faiq Bolkiah: The Richest World Soccer Star
Faiq Bolkiah is a forward currently playing in Thailand’s top league, Thai League 1, and in the Brunei national team who is worth a staggering $20 billion. Bolkiah was born in Los Angeles, California and he is the son of Jefri Bolkiah, the Prince of Brunei, and his uncle, Hassanal Bolkiah, is the Sultan of Brunei.
Faiq comes from a very wealthy royal family and he gets most of his wealth from outside of his football career.
A Humble Football Career
Despite his huge wealth, Faiq Bolkiah has not had a very illustrious football career when compared to global superstars like Cristiano Ronaldo of the Portugal National Team or Lionel Messi of the Argentina National Team. He spend a lot of his youth career playing with top Premier League academies such as Chelsea and Leicester City before spending his senior career in Portugal for a bit and then Thailand.
After moving through the ranks of several clubs, Bolkiah landed at Ratchaburi F.C. of Thailand’s top league. Bolkiah has currently made over 40 professional appearances and in the 2023/24 season, he scored two goals—his highest tally in a single season—but a severe leg injury in February 2024 sidelined him for the rest of the season.
Despite his absence, Ratchaburi F.C. managed to finish sixth in the Thai League, an improvement from their eighth-place finish the previous year.
Why Aren’t the Biggest Stars the Richest Footballers in the World?
To this day players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Neymar, Mbappe, and more dominate the headlines and earn millions every year from their contracts and endorsements. They are some of the richest players in the world.
However, despite their remarkable careers and massive endorsement deals with brands like Nike and Adidas, their fortunes don’t come close to Faiq Bolkiah’s wealth. Bolkiah’s family fortune eclipses the earnings of even the most illustrious football stars.
In most sports, the biggest stars are the richest players, but Bolkiah is one of the few exceptions because although he is not a global star of the game, his royal family has so much wealth that it is even more than the higher earners of the sport.
Summary
In summary, while soccer is the biggest sport in the world with players earning millions from contracts and endorsements, the title of “richest soccer player” doesn’t always go to the brightest star on the pitch. The title of the world’s riches soccer player goes to Faiq Bolkiah who is from a Royal Family.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the richest footballer in the world?
The richest football player in the world is not who you might expect like Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, or Neymar. Instead it is Faiq Bolkiah who is from a Royal Family of Brunei.
Who are the world’s richest footballers?
The top 10 richest footballers in international football includes:
– Richest footballer = Faiq Bolkiah – Ratchaburi and Brunei national team
– second richest footballer = Lionel Messi – Inter Miami FC and Argentina National Team
– third richest footballer = Cristiano Ronaldo- Al Nassr FC and Portugal National Team
– fourth richest footballer = David Beckham – Retired English professional footballer and Ex Manchester United and England national team
– fifth richest footballer = Neymar – Al Hilal and Brazil national team
– sixth richest footballer = Dave Whelan – Former Wigan athletic football club
– seventh richest footballer = Karim Benzema – Al Ittihad and France national team
– eight richest footballer = Zlatan Ibrahimovic – Retired Swedish Professional footballer
– ninth richest footballer = Kylian Mbappe- Real Madrid and France national team
– tenth richest footballer = Wayne Rooney – Retired English professional footballer and Ex Manchester United and England national team
Footballers, especially the richest, spend their money on luxury purchases and entertainment. One of the main areas of spending is on elite real estate, expensive cars, yachts and private jets. Many of them also show an interest in gambling, visiting both land-based and online casinos. When choosing an online casino, they are helped by the popularity of reviews on sites that accept Interac, making transactions easier for such players.
Who is the richest player in the Premier League?
Kevin De Bruyne is the highest paid Premier League footballer.
How can soccer players make money?
Soccer players, who do not play professional soccer, can make money in various ways such as:
- Coaching
- Private training
- Starting a league
- Running a soccer blog
- Reselling soccer jerseys or cleats
