Bamba, who began his career at Paris St-Germain and also played for Dunfermline and Middlesbrough, was part of the Cardiff team that achieved Premier League promotion in 2018.
After overcoming non-Hodgkin lymphoma in 2021 while at Cardiff, he worked with Turkish club Adanaspor until his death.
Adanaspor announced, “Our technical director Souleymane Bamba, who fell ill before the match against Manisa on Friday, was taken to hospital and sadly lost his life there. Our condolences go out to his family and our community.”
Cardiff City mourned Bamba as a “club legend,” stating, “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.”
Leeds, where Bamba captained from 2015 to 2016, expressed their devastation, saying, “Rest in peace, Sol, you will be forever in our hearts.”
Bamba’s career spanned from Paris St-Germain to Dunfermline, Hibernian, and Leicester under Sven-Goran Eriksson in 2011.
After Eriksson’s death, Bamba honored him on social media, describing him as “not just an exquisite person, but also the best coach I’ve ever had, inspiring my journey as a player but also as a manager.”
Following spells at Trabzonspor in Turkey and Palermo in Italy, Bamba joined Leeds. At Cardiff, he made a major impact, scoring on his debut and playing a key role in their Premier League promotion.
During Cardiff’s sole Premier League season under Warnock, Bamba scored four goals.
Cardiff announced in January 2021 that Bamba, then 35, was undergoing cancer treatment, calling him “universally admired by team-mates, staff and supporters in the Welsh capital.”
He returned to play four months later, announcing he was cancer-free following chemotherapy. Bamba was released by Cardiff the following month and reunited with Warnock at Middlesbrough in August 2021.
Warnock described him as a “father figure” and once remarked that Bamba was “slightly better” than Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk, though he had to remind him “not to try and be Beckenbauer.”
At Middlesbrough, Bamba scored a penalty in a FA Cup shootout win against Manchester United at Old Trafford in February 2022.
The following year, he returned to Cardiff as assistant manager under Sabri Lamouchi, helping the club retain their Championship status.
He had been a candidate for the Cardiff managerial role after earning his coaching badges with the Football Association of Wales. Bamba left Cardiff when Lamouchi departed in the summer of 2023 and took up a position in Turkey.
Leicester City expressed their deep sorrow, saying, “We are all devastated to hear that our former defender, Sol Bamba, has passed away.”
They remembered him as a popular figure during his 55 appearances for the Foxes, where he scored four goals.
Dunfermline also expressed their shock and sadness, offering condolences “at this tragic time” to all who knew him. Middlesbrough and Hibernian both conveyed their devastation at the news.