Former Ivory Coast and Premier League defender, Sol Bamba, who played for several clubs including Leeds United, Cardiff City, and Leicester City, has passed away at the age of 39 while overseeing a match for a Turkish club.
His death was confirmed on Saturday. Bamba, who had been battling Non-Hodgkin lymphoma since 2020, was serving as the technical director of Adanaspor at the time of his death.
The Ivorian international, who also represented the Ivory Coast national team with 46 caps for the reigning African Champions fell ill before a match against Manisa Football Club and was taken to Manisa Celal Bayar University Hospital, where he tragically lost his battle with the disease.
Adanaspor announced the news in a statement on X, saying, “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.”
Bamba, known for his time at Cardiff City, Leeds United, and Leicester City, was initially diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin lymphoma, a rare form of cancer, on Christmas Eve in 2020. Though believed to be in remission, a relapse before the Manisa FK match led to his sudden passing, as reported by Turkish outlet, Hurriyet.
After retiring from professional football in 2022, Bamba transitioned to coaching, serving as an assistant manager at Cardiff City before joining Adanaspor in the summer of 2024.
Tributes have poured in from Bamba’s former clubs and teammates. Cardiff City, where he spent a significant portion of his career, expressed their grief on X: “It is with the deepest sadness that we have learned 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, shared 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, born in France began his football career with Paris Saint-Germain’s youth academy before moving to Scotland, where he played for Dunfermline and Hibernian. He joined Leicester City in 2011 under Sven-Goran Eriksson, forming a close bond with the manager. After stints with Trabzonspor and Palermo, Bamba returned to England in 2015 to join Leeds.
He later moved to Cardiff City in 2016, where he made 118 appearances. It was during his time at Cardiff that he was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin lymphoma. After months of chemotherapy, Bamba made an emotional return to the pitch in the final match of the 2020-21 season.
Bamba later signed with Middlesbrough, where he made 28 appearances and famously scored the winning penalty in an FA Cup fourth-round match against Manchester United at Old Trafford. Reflecting on his battle with cancer, Bamba once said, “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 his health challenges, Bamba’s resilience and return to the pitch inspired many.
