The former Cardiff and Leeds defender Sol Bamba has died at the age of 39. Bamba had been working as a coach at Adanaspor, with the Turkish club announcing the news late on Saturday night. A club statement read: “Our technical director Souleymane Bamba, who fell ill before the match against Manisa Football Club 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.” Bamba, who earned 46 caps for Ivory Coast, also played for Leicester and Middlesbrough before moving into coaching with Cardiff last year. In 2021 he recovered from non-Hodgkin lymphoma after undergoing chemotherapy treatment. Bamba managed to return to the pitch less than five months after his diagnosis. Leeds paid tribute to their former captain in a statement which read: “Rest in peace, Sol, you will be forever in our hearts.” A Middlesbrough statement said: “We are devastated to learn of the passing of Sol Bamba at the age of 39. Our thoughts are with Sol’s family and friends at this time. RIP Sol.”