Cardiff City to Honor Sol Bamba with Tribute During Leeds United Match

Cardiff City is planning a heartfelt tribute to their former defender and coach Sol Bamba during their Championship home game against Leeds United on Saturday, 21 September. Bamba, who was just 39 years old, tragically passed away after being admitted to a hospital in Turkey, where he was serving as the technical director for Adanaspor.

Bamba’s football career was extensive, beginning at Paris St-Germain and spanning clubs like Dunfermline, Hibernian, Leicester City, Trabzonspor, Palermo, and Middlesbrough. He notably captained Leeds United, making over 50 league appearances between January 2015 and October 2016, before joining Cardiff City, where he played for nearly five years and made over 100 appearances.

The tribute is being coordinated with Leeds United, acknowledging Bamba’s impact on both clubs. Cardiff City chairman Mehmet Dalman confirmed that discussions are already in progress: “They are willing and happy to go along with us. There are preparations taking place for this.”

The football community has been deeply saddened by Bamba’s passing, with many Cardiff fans calling for a permanent memorial to the player described by the club as “a hero to all of us, a leader in every dressing room and a true gentleman.” Dalman expressed his condolences to Bamba’s family, especially his wife Chloe, and remembered Sol as a person who “always had time for people. We shall miss him.”

In addition to Cardiff City’s tribute, the Football Association of Wales plans to honor Bamba before the Nations League game against Turkey at Cardiff City Stadium on Friday, 6 September. Tributes will also be paid to former Wales internationals Leighton James and Terry Medwin, both of whom have passed away since Wales last played a home game in March.