Johor’s crown prince wants to buy Valencia FC. Here are 5 things to know about him
Tunku Ismail Idris, the heir apparent and first in line to the throne of Johor, sparked interest into his life once again when he signalled his interest in buying the Spanish football club.
Johor Crown Prince Ismail Sultan Ibrahim. (File photo: Facebook/Crown Prince Ismail Sultan Ibrahim)
On this side of the world, Tunku Ismail Idris, the Crown Prince of Johor, is one of the most prominent and talked-about royals. On Mar 2, the outspoken prince expressed his interest in buying over Valencia football club from Singaporean businessman, Peter Lim.
Like many modern royals, the 36-year-old maintains a social media presence on Instagram, with a sizeable following of 3.1 million. In a series of Instagram stories, Tunku Ismail said that Valencia needs someone who is “hungry for success”.
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Here's what you need to know about the ambitious prince.
HE’S A TRUE SPORTS ENTHUSIAST
Tunku Ismail owns Malaysian football club Johor Darul Ta’zim. He’s credited as the man behind the club’s remarkable rise over the years. Last year, the club won their seventh straight Malaysian league title.
Fun fact: The prince shared during a Q&A session with fans of the football club that Hariss Harun is his favourite Singaporean footballer.
Aside from owning a football club, Tunku Ismail is also an avid polo player. He’s been playing the sport since he was a young boy, and has won over 50 international polo tournaments.
HE’S A DEVOTED DAD
Take a look at Tunku Ismail’s Instagram account and you’ll see that he’s quite a devoted dad, constantly sharing photos of him spending time with his three children. His wife, Che Puan Khaleeda, is currently expecting the couple’s fourth child.
HE MAINTAINS AN ACTIVE LIFESTYLE
If you’ve been following the royal for some time now, you would have probably noticed that he’s shed a significant amount of weight. These days, Tunku Ismail leads an active lifestyle and constantly posts photos of himself at the gym.
In a chat with Harian Metro, Tunku Ismail attributed his successful weight loss to proper diet and consistent exercise. “I also consume juice, vegetables and fruits every morning,” he said.
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HE LOVES HIS RANGE ROVER
Tunku Ismail owns an impressive collection of cars. Scroll through his Instagram and you’ll see shots of his Rolls-Royce Cullinan and Dawn, his Audi R8, his Jeep and more.
His all-time favourite car, however, is the Range Rover, he shared in a chat with Stadium Astro. “It’s an everyday car, hardly gives you any problem. You can drive in any terrain. It looks good and it’s nice to drive. I love the Range Rover,” he said.
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HE LOVES COFFEE
As a busy man with a hectic schedule, Tunku Ismail kickstarts his day with coffee, the prince revealed during the chat with Stadium Astro. His beverage of choice? “Espresso, double espresso, at least two to three glasses,” he said.
“I love coffee, I cannot live without coffee,” he added in the chat. Ahhh, royals. Sometimes, they can be just like us.
