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Former Premier League defender who played across multiple clubs, Sol Bamba, has died at the age of 39 while in charge of a match for a Turkish club.
His death was confirmed on Saturday.
The former defender, known for his stints with Leeds United, Cardiff City, and Leicester City, had been battling Non-Hodgkin lymphoma since 2020.
Bamba, who also represented the Ivory Coast national team, was serving as the technical director of Turkish side, Adanaspor, at the time of his death.
The club announced the news in a statement on X, stating, “Our Technical Director Souleymane Bamba, who fell ill before the Manisa Football Club match played yesterday, was taken to Manisa Celal Bayar University Hospital and unfortunately lost his battle for life there. Our condolences to his family and our community.”
The former Cardiff City, Leeds, and Leicester defender had been diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin lymphoma, a rare form of cancer, on Christmas Eve in 2020.
Although he was believed to be in remission, Turkish outlet Hurriyet reported that he “fell ill before the Manisa FK match due to a relapse of Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.”
After retiring from professional football in 2022, Bamba transitioned into coaching, serving as an assistant manager for Cardiff City before joining Adanaspor in the summer of 2024.
He had been working as the club’s technical director until his untimely passing.
Tributes have poured in from Bamba’s former clubs and teammates.
Cardiff City, where he spent a significant portion of his career, released a heartfelt statement on X: “It is with the deepest sadness that we have learnt this evening about the passing of Club legend, Sol Bamba. As a player and coach, Sol’s impact on our football club was immeasurable. He was a hero to all of us, a leader in every dressing room, and a true gentleman. Our thoughts are with his friends, family, and everyone lucky enough to know and love Sol.”
Middlesbrough, where Bamba played in the 2021-22 season, also paid tribute on X: “We are devastated to learn of the passing of Sol Bamba at the age of 39. Our thoughts are with Sol’s family and friends at this time. RIP Sol.”
Leeds United, where Bamba served as captain in 2016, expressed their sorrow: “Everyone at #LUFC is devastated to learn of the news that former #LUFC captain Sol Bamba has passed away. Our thoughts and condolences are with his family and friends at this tragic time. Rest in peace, Sol, you will be forever in our hearts.”
Bamba began his football journey in Paris with Paris Saint-Germain’s youth setup before moving to Scotland, where he played for Dunfermline and Hibernian.
His English football career started in 2011 when he joined Leicester City under Sven-Goran Eriksson, with whom he shared a close bond.
Earlier this week, Bamba paid tribute to his former manager, Eriksson, who also recently passed away.
Bamba later played for Trabzonspor and Palermo before returning to England in 2015 to join Leeds.
His captaincy at Leeds was cut short when he moved to Cardiff City in 2016, where he made 118 appearances.
It was during his time in Cardiff that he was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin lymphoma. He fought the disease for several months undergoing chemotherapy, and made an emotional return in the final match of the 2020-21 season.
He subsequently signed for Middlesbrough, where he made 28 appearances and famously scored the winning penalty in the FA Cup fourth-round clash against Manchester United at Old Trafford.
Reflecting on his battle with cancer, Bamba once told Mail Sport, “After the first chemo, I was down for four days. I could not get out of bed. I lost weight. After that, I told my missus, ‘I’m not going for the second round.’ The way I was, in that moment, it was awful.”
Despite the challenges, Bamba made a return to the pitch, inspiring many with his resilience.
