Former Leeds United, Leicester City, Cardiff City, and Hibernian defender Sol Bamba has tragically passed away at the age of 39.
Bamba, who played for the Ivory Coast national team, had a distinguished career spanning several clubs, including Paris St-Germain, Dunfermline, and Middlesbrough.
Bamba’s season at Middlesbrough included him scoring a penalty in an FA Cup shootout victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford in February 2022.
He returned to Cardiff the following year as assistant manager to Sabri Lamouchi, helping the club retain their Championship status.
He was a key player in Cardiff City’s promotion to the Premier League in 2018 and bravely overcame non-Hodgkin lymphoma in 2021.
At the time of his passing, Bamba was working as a technical director at Turkish club Adanaspor, who announced the news on Saturday night.
Bamba’s former clubs, including Leeds and Cardiff, have paid heartfelt tributes to him, describing him as a “hero” and a “true gentleman”.
Following Eriksson’s death earlier this week, Bamba posted a tribute on social media in which he described the Swede as “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”.
His passing has sent shockwaves through the football community, with fans and players alike mourning the loss of a talented and courageous individual.
