History of Sol Bamba in Timeline
"Sol Bamba, a former professional football player and manager, was known for his role as a centre-back. Though born in France, he represented the Ivory Coast national team.
January 1985: Birth of Sol Bamba
Souleymane Bamba, professionally known as Sol Bamba, was born in January 1985.
2003: FIFA World Youth Championship
Sol Bamba participated in the 2003 FIFA World Youth Championship, representing the Ivory Coast.
2005: African Youth Championship
In 2005, Bamba played in the African Youth Championship for the Ivory Coast.
July 2006: Bamba Signs with Dunfermline Athletic
After a trial period, Sol Bamba formally signed a two-year contract with Dunfermline Athletic in July 2006.
December 2006: Bamba Receives First Red Card
During a match against Kilmarnock on December 2006, Sol Bamba was sent off for the first time in his professional career.
2006: Bamba Joins Dunfermline Athletic
Sol Bamba joined Dunfermline Athletic in 2006, marking a significant move in his career.
2007: Dunfermline Athletic in the Scottish Cup Final
Sol Bamba was part of the Dunfermline Athletic squad that reached the Scottish Cup Final in 2007, where they faced a loss against Celtic.
July 2008: Bamba's Potential Transfer to Watford Falls Through
In July 2008, Sol Bamba's anticipated move to Watford collapsed for undisclosed reasons.
December 2008: Praise for Bamba's Performance as Defensive Midfielder
In December 2008, Manager Mixu Paatelainen commended Sol Bamba's skills as a defensive midfielder during a victory over Celtic.
2008: Toulon Tournament and Olympics
Bamba participated in the Toulon Tournament and was part of the Ivory Coast squad that reached the quarter-finals of the 2008 Olympic Games.
2008: Bamba Represents Ivory Coast at the Olympics
Representing the Ivory Coast, Sol Bamba participated in the 2008 Olympic Games.
2008: International Debut for Ivory Coast
Sol Bamba made his debut for the Ivory Coast national team in a friendly match against Israel in 2008.
2009: Bamba Returns to Central Defense
Under new manager John Hughes in the 2009 season, Sol Bamba was repositioned back to his natural role as a central defender.
May 2010: Scouts Eye Bamba's Performances
By May 2010, Sol Bamba's impressive performances attracted attention from scouts representing Fulham and Rennes.
July 2010: Bamba Disciplined for Missing Pre-Season Tour
Sol Bamba faced disciplinary action in July 2010 for failing to attend a pre-season tour in the Netherlands.
2010: 2010 FIFA World Cup Qualification and Africa Cup of Nations
Bamba became a regular player for the Ivory Coast and participated in the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches and the Africa Cup of Nations in 2010.
2010: Leishman Acknowledges Bamba's Potential
Jim Leishman, Bamba's former coach, recognized his physical attributes and potential as a footballer in 2010.
2010: Birth of First Son
Sol Bamba became a father with the birth of his son in 2010.
2010: Bamba's Contract with Hibs Nears End
As Sol Bamba's contract with Hibernian approached its expiration at the end of the 2010-11 season, a transfer agreement with Leicester City was reached.
2010: Selected for 2010 World Cup Squad
Bamba was selected to represent Ivory Coast in the 2010 World Cup.
January 2011: Bamba Joins Leicester City
In January 2011, Sol Bamba transferred to English side Leicester City.
January 2011: Bamba Transfers to Leicester City
Sol Bamba officially joined Leicester City from Hibernian for an undisclosed fee in January 2011.
September 2011: Bamba Signs New Contract with Leicester City
Amidst transfer speculations, Sol Bamba committed to Leicester City by signing a new contract in September 2011.
September 2011: Praised for Consistency and Ball-Playing Abilities
Sky Sports commentator Soriebah Kajue praised Bamba's consistent performances and his skills as a ball-playing defender in September 2011.
June 2012: Bamba Joins Trabzonspor
In June 2012, Sol Bamba signed with Turkish club Trabzonspor for a fee of £750,000. This move came after a recommendation from his Ivory Coast teammate Didier Zokora.
August 2012: Bamba Debuts for Trabzonspor
On August 26, 2012, Bamba made his debut for Trabzonspor, playing the entire match as his team secured a 2-0 home victory against Elazigspor.
2012: Managed by Lamouchi
Sol Bamba played under the management of Sabri Lamouchi for the Ivory Coast national team between 2012 and 2014.
2012: Ivory Coast Finishes Second in Africa Cup of Nations
The Ivory Coast, with Sol Bamba on the team, achieved the second position in the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations.
2012: Bamba's Transfer to Trabzonspor
Sol Bamba was sold to Turkish club Trabzonspor in 2012 for £750,000.
2012: 2012 Africa Cup of Nations
Bamba played in the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations, where Ivory Coast reached the final but lost to Zambia in a penalty shootout.
2013: Bamba's Season Impacted by AFCON Qualification
During the 2012-2013 season, Bamba missed several games for Trabzonspor in December and January due to his participation with the Ivory Coast national team in their successful qualification campaign for the 2013 African Cup of Nations.
2013: Bamba Features in Europa League
Throughout the 2013-2014 season, Bamba played in 15 matches for Trabzonspor during the first half, establishing himself as a consistent starter in their Europa League campaign.
January 2014: Ankle Injury Sidelines Bamba
On January 22, 2014, Bamba sustained an ankle injury, preventing him from playing for most of the remaining season. This injury also marked the end of his appearances for Tranzonspor.
August 2014: Bamba Signs with Palermo
After being let go by Trabzonspor, Bamba agreed to a three-year contract with Palermo, a newly promoted Serie A team, on August 26, 2014.
September 2014: Called up for Cameroon Fixture
Bamba received a call-up to the Ivory Coast squad for a match against Cameroon in September 2014.
September 2014: Bamba's Palermo Debut
Bamba made his debut for Palermo on September 24, 2014, in a 3-3 draw against Napoli. This game marked his only appearance for the club.
December 2014: Omitted from 2015 AFCON Squad
Despite not retiring from international football, Bamba was left out of the Ivory Coast squad for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations in a surprising move.
2014: End of Time Playing Under Lamouchi
This event marks the end of the period when Sol Bamba played under the management of Sabri Lamouchi for the Ivory Coast national team.
2014: End of Bamba's International Career with Ivory Coast
Sol Bamba's time representing the Ivory Coast national team came to a close in 2014.
2014: 2014 FIFA World Cup
Bamba played for Ivory Coast in the 2014 FIFA World Cup, where they were eliminated in the group stage.
January 2015: Bamba Joins Leeds United on Loan
On January 23, 2015, Bamba joined Championship side Leeds United on loan for the rest of the season, with the potential for the transfer to become permanent later on.
2015: Absence from International Football
Bamba did not play for the Ivory Coast national team after 2014.
2015: Middlesbrough Achieves FA Cup Milestone
Middlesbrough's victory in the FA Cup fifth round in February 2022, marked their first time reaching this stage of the tournament since 2015.
2015: Bamba Appointed Captain of Leeds
Prior to the start of the season, head coach Uwe Rösler appointed Sol Bamba as Leeds' captain, replacing Liam Cooper.
September 2016: Bamba Released by Leeds
On September 1, 2016, despite being the team's captain, Leeds United released Sol Bamba. This decision came after head coach Garry Monk informed Bamba that he would no longer be a first-choice player for the club.
October 2016: Bamba Joins Cardiff City
In October 2016, Bamba signed a two-year contract with Cardiff City, reuniting with his former Leicester City manager, Neil Warnock. He marked his debut by scoring the winning goal in a 2-1 victory against Bristol City in a Severnside derby on October 14th.
2016: Bamba Questions Leeds Ownership
At the end of the 2015-2016 season, Bamba voiced his criticism of Leeds owner Massimo Cellino, urging him to follow through on his promises. He shared that the players were kept in the dark about head coach Steve Evans' future with the club and their preseason training schedule.
August 2017: Bamba Signs New Contract with Cardiff
After playing a crucial role in Cardiff City's strong start to the 2017-18 season with three consecutive victories, Bamba extended his contract with the club for another three years on August 25, 2017.
December 2017: Warnock Rates Bamba and Morrison Highly
Cardiff City manager Neil Warnock expressed his belief that Bamba and his defensive partner Sean Morrison were superior to Virgil van Dijk in December 2017.
September 2018: Bamba Scores First Premier League Goal
Bamba scored his first-ever Premier League goal in September 2018 during a 4-1 loss to Chelsea.
2018: Bamba Shares Insights on Defending
Sol Bamba shared his perspectives and knowledge on the art of defending in 2018.
March 2019: Bamba Suffers Season-Ending Injury
On March 5, 2019, Bamba suffered a ruptured cruciate ligament in his knee during a match against Wolverhampton Wanderers, prematurely ending his season.
July 2019: Bamba Sidelined Due to Injury
In July 2019, it was confirmed that Bamba would be out of action for the beginning of the 2019-2020 season due to injury.
January 2021: Bamba Diagnosed with Cancer
In a significant turn of events, Bamba was diagnosed with cancer in January 2021.
May 2021: Announces Cancer-Free Status
After undergoing chemotherapy, Sol Bamba publicly announced that he was free from cancer in May 2021.
June 2021: Bamba Released by Cardiff
In June 2021, Cardiff City announced that Bamba was among five players being released from the club. Bamba expressed his disappointment at learning about this decision through Cardiff's Twitter post.
August 2021: Bamba Reunites with Warnock at Middlesbrough
On August 10, 2021, Bamba joined Middlesbrough on a one-year deal, marking his reunion with former manager Neil Warnock.
September 2021: Bamba Makes First League Start for Middlesbrough
On September 11, 2021, Bamba made his first league start for Middlesbrough in a 2-0 loss to Coventry City.
October 2021: Bamba Earns Man of the Match Award
Bamba received the Sky Bet Man of the Match award for his performance in Middlesbrough's 2-0 victory over his former team, Cardiff City, on October 23, 2021.
2021: Middlesbrough Releases Bamba
At the conclusion of the 2021-2022 season, Bamba was released by Middlesbrough.
February 2022: Bamba Helps Middlesbrough Advance in FA Cup
On February 4, 2022, Bamba came on as a substitute in the 28th minute of extra time during Middlesbrough's FA Cup match against Manchester United. He successfully converted his penalty kick, contributing to Middlesbrough's victory and their first advancement to the fifth round of the tournament since 2015.
2022: Retirement from Professional Football
Sol Bamba retired from professional football in 2022 after a successful career.
January 2023: Appointed Assistant Manager of Cardiff City
Bamba started his coaching career as an assistant manager for Cardiff City in January 2023.
June 2023: Departs Cardiff City
Bamba left his role as assistant manager at Cardiff City in June 2023.
2023: Bamba's Transition to Management
In 2023, Sol Bamba took on the role of assistant manager at Cardiff City.
July 2024: Appointed Head Coach of Adanaspor
Bamba became the head coach of Turkish club Adanaspor in July 2024.
August 2024: Sol Bamba Passes Away
Sol Bamba passed away at the age of 39 after a sudden illness in August 2024.
August 2024: Death of Sol Bamba
Sol Bamba passed away in August 2024.