Former Leeds and Cardiff defender Bamba dies aged 39

The Ivory Coast center back, who played for Middlesbrough, Dunfermline, and Paris St-Germain before joining Cardiff in 2018, was a member of the team that was promoted to the Premier League.

During his playing career at Cardiff, he battled non-Hodgkin lymphoma in 2021. He has since been employed by Turkish team Adanaspor, who made the announcement on Saturday night.

Adanaspor released the following statement: “Our technical director Souleymane Bamba, who became ill prior to Friday’s match against Manisa, was rushed to the hospital, where he tragically lost his fight for life. We send our sympathies to his family and the neighborhood.”

Bamba was called a “club legend” by Cardiff, who also stated that the news was taken with “the deepest sadness” and that “as a player and coach, Sol’s impact on our football club was immeasurable.” He was a real gentleman, a leader in every changing room, and a hero to all of us.”

Leeds, who Bamba captained from 2015 to 2016 while he was at Elland Road, also sent their condolences, stating that they were “devastated to learn of the news that former captain Sol Bamba has passed away”.

Leeds concluded, “Rest in peace, Sol, you will be forever in our hearts.”
After playing for Dunfermline, Hibernian, and Paris St-Germain, Bamba joined Leicester under Sven-Goran Eriksson in 2011.

Bamba paid tribute to Eriksson on social media when he passed away earlier this week, calling the Swede “not just an exquisite person, but he was also the best coach I’ve ever had, inspiring my journey as a player but also as a manager”.

Following stints at Palermo in Italy and Trabzonspor in Turkey, Bamba joined Leeds.

He would eventually leave possibly the biggest impression at Cardiff, where he would become a fan favorite after Neil Warnock signed him in 2016 on a free transfer.

In his first game against Bristol City, he scored, and he was a major factor in the team’s promotion to the premier league the ensuing campaign.

With Cardiff, he made his Premier League debut and scored four goals in the Welsh team’s only season at the top under Warnock.

Bamba, 35, was being treated for cancer, the club said in January 2021. The club described Bamba as “universally admired by team-mates, staff and supporters in the Welsh capital”.

Four months later, after receiving chemotherapy, he announced he was cancer-free and went back to playing.

After being let go by Cardiff the next month, Bamba reunited with Warnock and signed a contract with Middlesbrough in August 2021.

He had called the seasoned manager a “father figure” in the past. As compensation, Warnock once declared that the defender was “slightly better” than Virgil van Dijk, the center back for Liverpool, but that he needed to tell him “not to try and be Beckenbauer” during games.

During his time at Middlesbrough, Bamba scored a penalty in February 2022’s FA Cup shootout triumph over Manchester United at Old Trafford.

The next year, he returned to Cardiff to support Sabri Lamouchi as assistant manager, which helped the team maintain its Championship standing.

After earning his coaching credentials from the Football Association of Wales, Bamba was previously connected to the managing position at the Bluebirds.

Before accepting his position in Turkey in the summer of 2023, he resigned from his employment following Lamouchi’s departure.

Leicester posted on social media, saying, “We are all devastated to hear that our former defender, Sol Bamba, has passed away.”

“During his brief but unforgettable stint in Leicester, Sol was a well-liked player who made 55 appearances and scored four goals for the Foxes. Our sympathies are with Sol’s friends and family at this terrible time.2.

Dunfermline sent their condolences to everyone who knew Bamba “at this tragic time” and stated they were “shocked and saddened” to hear of his passing.

Both Hibernian and Middlesbrough expressed their “devastation” when hearing the news.