Ex-soccer star Sol Bamba tragically passes away at the young age of 39.
Football Shock: Sol Bamba Bids Farewell at 39. The former Ivory Coast international footballer ends his life prematurely. Turkish side Adanaspor, where he served as the Technical Director, breaks the unfortunate news. Other clubs likewise express their sorrow.
The charismatic defender, Sol Bamba, left everyone in shock when he unexpectedly passed away at the age of 39. This was disclosed by Adanaspor, the Turkish second division club, where he was most recently employed: Bamba had fallen ill "before the game against Manisa FK" and then "regrettably breathed his last at the local university hospital". No particular cause of death was mentioned.
In 2021, Sol Bamba, who was then under contract with Cardiff City, was diagnosed with cancer. Despite undergoing chemotherapy, he was later declared cancer-free and continued his active career until 2022 with Middlesbrough FC.
Cardiff City expressed their shock on X: "We received the heartbreaking news of the demise of beloved Sol Bamba this evening. As a player and coach, Sol Bamba left an indelible mark on our football club. He was a hero, a locker room leader, and a true gentleman for us all. Our thoughts are with his friends, family, and all who had the fortune of knowing and cherishing Sol. Bamba spent the majority of his career in Cardiff. After his time as a central defender, he became a technical coach with the Welsh side in 2023, before joining Adanaspor as a coach in July this year."
Born in France, Bamba also donned the jerseys of US Palermo, Hibernian FC, and Leicester City during his career, and served as captain at Leeds United. In total, he played 239 games in the top two English leagues and wore the Ivory Coast national team jersey 46 times.
Other clubs also remembered Bamba: "Leeds United were devastated to learn of the passing of former Leeds captain Sol Bamba. Rest in peace, Sol, you will forever remain in our hearts," Leeds United stated. The Turkish club Trabzonspor wrote: "We learned with profound sadness of the demise of Adanaspor coach Sol Bamba, who wore our jersey from 2012 to 2014. May God have mercy on him and we extend our condolences to his family and all his loved ones."
Soccer was a significant part of Sol Bamba's career, as he played 239 games in the top two English leagues. Despite leaving Leicester City, he continued to make an impact in Turkish soccer, serving as the Technical Director at Adanaspor before his passing.
