Former Ivory Coast defender Sol Bamba has died aged 39, Turkish club Adanaspor, where he was technical director, announced on Saturday.
Turkish side Adanaspor broke the news in a statement released on X which read: ‘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.’
He was previously diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma, a rare form of cancer back on Christmas Eve in 2020 but was believed to be in the clear.
However Turkish outlet Hurriyet has reported that he ‘fell ill before the Manisa FK match due to a relapse of Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.’
The former defender was a popular figure in English football having donned the jerseys of Leicester City, Leeds, Cardiff City, and Middlesbrough.
Since retiring in 2022, Bamba made the move into coaching, becoming an assistant manager for his former club Cardiff before joining Turkish side Adanaspor.
The 39-year-old had worked as the club’s technical director since the summer until his untimely passing.
Many of Bamba’s former clubs have already released tributes to the French-born center-back.
Cardiff City who he spent the majority of his playing career with released a heartfelt statement on X which read: ‘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.’
Author: Linda .R. Jones
Senior Writer
London,UK
