Cardiff City to honour 'club legend' Sol Bamba at Derby County fixture
Cardiff City will pay tributes to "club legend" Sol Bamba ahead of their fixture against Derby County this weekend.
The Bluebirds faithful will be able pay their respects to Bamba with a minute of applause ahead of kick-off at Pride Park.
The defender died age 39 while working as a technical director at Turkish club Adanaspor on August 31.
Speaking to the media this afternoon, Cardiff City manager Erol Bulut said: "I know him as a player from Trabzonspor so I met him also last season when we started.
"Great guy, great character and I met him a few times. We talk a little bit. A really, really good person. As a player [he] was also a great one.
"Of course, for Cardiff City fans he's one of the best players. He was very good with the fan base.
"When I read about that, I got a shock. I thought something was wrong so I was calling a few friends I know in Turkey. He was 39 years old. It comes too quick. It hurts. It hurts."
Bamba made more than 100 appearances for the Bluebirds across five years in South Wales as a player and cemented himself in Cardiff City history in 2018 as part of the side which won promotion to the Premier League.
In a statement, the club said: "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."
Bamba was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin lymphoma in 2021 while at Cardiff, but was declared cancer-free after a course of chemotherapy and returned to play again for the Bluebirds.
A club statement said Bamba had fallen ill before a match and was taken to hospital where he died.
His wife, Chloe, wrote on Instagram: "For the last few years I have watched Sol fight his cancer head on with an astounding mental and physical strength.
"Unfortunately, it was never a fair fight and just when things were looking up he took a downturn and finally succumbed on 31st August.
She said the past few years have been "indescribably difficult" but the couple "still managed to find joy and laughter."
She continued: "It was an honour to have loved and been loved by Sol. I learnt so much form him. He is my hero. My heart is breaking. What a gift, what a gift to have been loved by him."
After leaving the Bluebirds to team up with former boss Neil Warnock at fellow Championship outfit Middlesborough, Bamba returned to the Welsh capital as part of Sambri Lamouchi's coaching staff.
Taking to X, formerly Twitter, Warnock said: "I can’t believe I won’t see that beaming smile again. I’m so happy that Sol was part of my life and we had such brilliant memories together. "I’m heartbroken for Chloe and the family and all my thoughts are with them. Sol was a ray of sunshine and I’ll miss him so much."
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