Sol Bamba, the former Cardiff City captain and Ivory Coast international, has passed away at the age of 39. Bamba, who also played for Leicester City, Leeds United, and Middlesbrough, fell ill in Turkey on Friday before a match and was taken to Manisa Celal Bayar University Hospital, where he sadly lost his life.

Bamba had been the head coach of Turkish top-flight side Adanaspor since the summer, and the club confirmed his passing in a statement on Saturday evening. Tributes poured in from his former clubs, with Cardiff City, Leeds United, Middlesbrough, and Trabzonspor expressing their deep sorrow over the loss.

Bamba was a key figure in Cardiff’s promotion to the Premier League in 2018 and went on to captain the team. He had been diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin lymphoma in January 2021 but announced he was cancer-free four months later. After retiring as a player, Bamba transitioned into coaching, returning to Cardiff as an assistant manager before joining Adanaspor.

The football community mourns the loss of Sol Bamba, a respected player, coach, and leader.