Yahoo News Tributes as former North East footballer Sol Bamba dies aged 39
Tributes have been paid to former Middlesbrough defender Sol Bamba, who has died aged 39 after "falling ill" over the weekend.
Adanaspor, where Sol had recently taken up his first head coach's role after a stellar career including with Leeds United and Cardiff City, confirmed the sad news on Saturday evening. The Turkish club said the Boro favourite had died after taking ill before a match and being transferred to a hospital.
Adanaspor said in a statement: "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."
The French football star, who began his career with Paris Saint-Germain at the age of 11, had three children with wife Chloe as well as a son from a previous relationship. He had previously undergone chemotherapy treatment after being diagnosed with Non-hodgkin lymphoma in 2021, announcing in May of that year that he was cancer-free.
However, Sol's wife Chloe Bamba appeared to confirm in a moving statement that her husband's cancer had since returned. She wrote on Instagram following the news of his death: "For the last few years I have watched Sol fight his cancer head on with an astounding mental and physical strength and stoicism.
"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."
Sol's former club Cardiff City FC were also among those to pay tribute to him, writing 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."
