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cardffiy city is set to honor defender Sol Bamba with a tribute during their Championship match against Leeds United on Saturday, 21 September.
Bamba, who previously played for and coached Cardiff, passed away on Saturday at the age of 39. He had been in a Turkish hospital, where he was working as a technical di
rector for Adanaspor.
During his career, Bamba captained Leeds, with his journey starting at Paris St-Germain and spanning teams like Dunfermline, Hibernian, Leicester, Trabzonspor, Palermo, and Middlesbrough.
The Ivory Coast defender, who triumphed over non-Hodgkin lymphoma in 2021, made over 50 league appearances for Leeds between January 2015 and October 2016. He then moved to Cardiff, where he played for nearly five years and made more than 100 appearances.
Cardiff is coordinating with Leeds to organize the tribute, acknowledging Bamba’s popularity at both clubs. Cardiff chairman Mehmet Dalman confirmed, “Discussions are already underway to honor Sol at the Leeds game. They are supportive of our plans, and preparations are in progress.”
In response to the widespread grief and affection for Bamba across the football community, Cardiff fans have been advocating for a permanent memorial to honor a player whom the club has hailed as “a hero to all of us, a leader in every dressing room, and a true gentleman.”
Dalman expressed his thoughts, saying, “Chloe [Bamba’s wife] must be experiencing an incredibly tough time. We are keeping her and the family in our thoughts.”
He continued, “I knew Sol; he was a kind person with a bright smile and a consistently optimistic outlook. Sol always made time for others. We will miss him deeply.”
The Football Association of Wales is also planning to pay tribute to Bamba before the Nations League match against Turkey at Cardiff City Stadium on Friday, 6 September. Additionally, tributes will be made to former Wales internationals Leighton James and Terry Medwin, who have passed away since Wales last played a home game in March.
