Former Manchester United striker Louis Saha has built an astonishing £4.3billion retirement fortune, yet this sum is eclipsed by the staggering wealth of ex-Leicester winger Faiq Bolkiah. During his time at Manchester United from 2004 to 2008 under Sir Alex Ferguson, Saha clinched two Premier League titles, a Champions League, and a League Cup.
The Frenchman had further stints at Everton, Tottenham, and Sunderland before retiring in 2013. Despite his on-pitch accolades, the bulk of Saha's wealth springs from his sports company, AxisStars. The company boasts a network connecting "professional athletes and entertainers, their peers and trusted partners," proving a lucrative venture for Saha. Yet, his impressive bank balance still falls far short of Bolkiah's riches as the nephew of the Sultan of Brunei, who is among several inheritors to a whopping £16bn fortune.
Saha now serves as CEO of AxisStars, which he co-founded with ex-marketer Kate Hamer. The platform, reportedly linked to over 500 former athletes, showcases Saha alongside Hamer on its website, stating: "Since hanging up his boots, Louis has moved into the world of business where he has used his experience to develop propositions to support athletes and other people in the public eye, in their careers."
The 46-year-old had revealed insights into his new endeavour in a candid conversation with The Guardian, remarking: "I still get asked for advice by different people on a daily basis. For instance, my agent called me to say he had a talented French footballer who he wants to bring to England.
"He asked me for advice on how to create a tailor-made training programme. I put him in touch with people I used to work with," the former striker elaborated.
"This kind of player could join Axis as he can then search for a personal coach in his region. It is a hard process but it's so rewarding, because if I can help 100,000 people, it's the best thing I've ever done."
Meanwhile, Bolkiah continues his career at the age of 26, after previous stints with the youth set-ups at Southampton, Chelsea, and Leicester, and now plays in the Thai Premier League, reports the Manchester Evening News
Bolkiah moved to Chonburi before transferring to Ratchaburi, his current club. As part of the House of Bolkiah and nephew to the Sultan of Brunei, his connection to an estimated £16b fortune dwarfs Saha's own net worth and massively surpasses Cristiano Ronaldo's £600million, collected from his illustrious soccer career and business dealings.
Tragedy struck for Bolkiah when he suffered a severe leg break during a match with Police Tero in February 2024, not long after joining Ratchaburi in 2023.
He made a comeback to the pitch last month, however, following almost 350 days on the sidelines and took to Instagram to express his delight, stating: "Almost one year since my injury, Feels great to be back out there."