Tributes pour in for former Ivory Coast defender Sol Bamba, who has died at 39

Tributes are flooding in for former Ivory Coast defender Sol Bamba, who has passed away at the age of 39. The Turkish club Adanaspor, where he served as technical director, announced his death on Saturday, revealing that he had fallen ill before a match the day prior.

Bamba earned 46 caps for his national team, representing Ivory Coast at the 2008 Olympics and in the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations. His club career included stints at Cardiff City, Leeds United, and Leicester City, along with spells at Italian side Palermo, Scottish clubs Dunfermline Athletic and Hibernian, and Turkish club Trabzonspor.

Cardiff City, where Bamba played a pivotal role in securing promotion to the Premier League during his first full season, honored him on X, calling him “a true gentleman” and highlighting his “immeasurable” impact on the club. Leeds United expressed their devastation over his passing, describing him as “one of the nicest people in football.”

In 2021, Bamba was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin lymphoma while at Cardiff but was declared cancer-free after undergoing chemotherapy. He made a comeback to play for two English clubs before retiring in January 2023. Following his retirement, Bamba transitioned into coaching, first serving as assistant manager at Cardiff before becoming the technical director at Adanaspor.

His wife, Chloe, paid tribute to him on Instagram, reflecting on their difficult journey through his illness. She remarked on the challenges they faced, stating, “These years have been indescribably difficult, but we still managed to find joy and laughter in it,” adding that it had been an “honor to have loved and been loved by Sol.”