Ex-EPL Defender, Sol Bamba, Dies at 39

Former Premier League defender who played across multiple clubs, Sol Bamba, has died at the age of 39 while in charge of a match for a Turkish club.

His death was confirmed on Saturday.

The former defender, known for his stints with Leeds United, Cardiff City, and Leicester City, had been battling Non-Hodgkin lymphoma since 2020.

Bamba, who also represented the Ivory Coast national team, was serving as the technical director of Turkish side, Adanaspor, at the time of his death.

The club announced the news in a statement on X, stating, “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.”

The former Cardiff City, Leeds, and Leicester defender had been diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin lymphoma, a rare form of cancer, on Christmas Eve in 2020.

Although he was believed to be in remission, Turkish outlet Hurriyet reported that he “fell ill before the Manisa FK match due to a relapse of Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.”

After retiring from professional football in 2022, Bamba transitioned into coaching, serving as an assistant manager for Cardiff City before joining Adanaspor in the summer of 2024.

He had been working as the club’s technical director until his untimely passing.

Tributes have poured in from Bamba’s former clubs and teammates.

Cardiff City, where he spent a significant portion of his career, released a heartfelt statement on X: “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.

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.”