On the face of it, Chonburi appear an unremarkable membership, spending most of their time bobbing about in mid-table in Thailand’s prime flight.
However for the previous two seasons, they’ve reportedly had the world’s richest footballer on their books. Whereas Lionel Messi’s web value is about £500 million and Cristiano Ronaldo a paltry £400m, Chonburi midfielder Faiq Bolkiah has been described as being value nearer to £16bn. How?
Nicely, he’s the nephew of the Sultan of Brunei, one of many globe’s wealthiest royals. Bolkiah was truly born in LA, earlier than relocating to England – he was educated at Bradfield Faculty in Berkshire, starting his soccer profession with the mighty Woolton Hill Argyle, then transferring on to AFC Newbury as a junior.
“He turned a unbelievable goalscorer with superb tempo,” former coach Paul Morgan mentioned.
In 2009, Southampton’s academy snapped him up – sadly, the winger didn’t change into the subsequent Gareth Bale, heading off for trials with Studying and Arsenal, previous to becoming a member of Chelsea aged 16. There, he featured for the under-18s and obtained recommendation from boss Jose Mourinho.
“When our youth crew performed the senior crew, he identified that generally I’d be within the improper place,” Bolkiah mentioned.
He quickly switched place all the way in which to Leicester, signing a three-year professional deal through a trial at Stoke – his household have been identified to be pals of the Foxes’ Thai house owners and the British royal household.
He appeared for the Premier League outfit within the UEFA Youth League, made six appearances for the Brunei nationwide crew and even penned a one-year contract extension on the King Energy Stadium, retaining him there till 2020, however departed to Portuguese facet Maritimo with out getting close to the Leicester first crew.
“I had three or 4 gives,” he later revealed. “Maritimo instructed me, ‘Come right here, you’ll play’, however that didn’t occur. I really feel like there have been a whole lot of politics to do with why Maritimo needed me.”
As an alternative he joined Chonburi in Thai League One, the nation’s prime division (to be honest, it makes extra sense than England’s League One being the third tier). Common video games lastly got here as his new membership completed seventh final time period – he netted his first objectives this season, placing Chonburi… seventh once more.
Stated to be on modest wages, don’t anticipate him to emulate Messi and Ronaldo on the sector any time quickly. Is he, nevertheless, the one former Woolton Hill Argyle junior ever to line up for the Brunei nationwide crew? Er, sure, he most likely is…
