Former Premier League defender Sol Bamba tragically dies aged 39

Former Premier League defender Sol Bamba has died at the age of 39.

Bamba fell ill shortly before he was due to take charge of a match for Adanaspor, the Turkish club he joined as a coach in July.

The club confirmed Bamba's death with a statement released on X, which read: "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."

Sol Bamba spent five years at Cardiff City. [Getty]

The former Leeds, Middlesbrough and Cardiff defender was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin lymphoma back in 2020, but he recovered in 2021 after undergoing chemotherapy treatment.

Bamba returned to action less than five months after his diagnosis.

The former footballer's wife, Chloe Bamba, issued an emotional statement on social media.

"For the last few years I have watched Sol fight his cancer head on with an astounding mental and physical strength and stoicism," she wrote.

"Unfortunately, it was never a fair fight and just when things were looking up he took a downturn and finally succumbed on 31st August.

"These years have been indescribably difficult but we still managed to find joy and laughter in it. I’ve experienced my worst days but also some of my best.

"Sol accepted his fate as God’s will and left this earth knowing, without a shadow of a doubt, that he was loved wholeheartedly. I made sure of that.

"It was an honour to have loved and been loved by Sol. I learnt so much from him. He is my hero. My heart is breaking. What a gift, what a gift, what a gift to have been loved by him."

The Cote d'Ivoire international earned 46 caps for his country, and also turned out for sides including Paris Saint-Germain, Dunfermline Athletic, Hibernian, Leicester, Trabzonspor and Palermo.

Cardiff - where Bamba spent five years between 2016 and 2021 - posted 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.”