Sol Bamba's widow shares emotional update and admits she'll 'never be OK' with tragic death of Cardiff legend at just 39 as new mural is unveiled

Bamba, who played a key role at Cardiff City and later returned as assistant coach, passed away in August 2024 after a long battle with Non-Hodgkin lymphoma. The defender had been declared cancer-free in 2021, but the illness cruelly returned and claimed his life just a month after he was appointed Adanaspor head coach. On Wednesday, a three-storey mural of Bamba was unveiled in Grangetown, ensuring his legacy lives on.

Speaking at the unveiling, Chloe said, "If you were ever lucky enough to meet Sol, you'd agree that he was larger than life. So to see him memorialised on a three-storey building is just perfect - absolutely perfect!"

Her voice then faltered as she added, "I will never be OK with the way that we lost Sol, ever. But what I love is that we can come together and celebrate him, and we have honoured him."

Reflecting on his battle with illness, she continued: "The illness — the fact he had to fight so hard for the last few years of his life — he didn't deserve it. No one going through that deserved it. It felt incredibly unfair, because he had so much more to do and achieve in his life, and I know that he would have."

Bamba’s death sent shockwaves through Cardiff and the wider football community, robbing the game of a player and coach admired for his charisma, resilience and strength. His wife Chloe and their three children continue to speak openly about his memory, making sure his presence remains alive in their daily lives. Chloe added, "They [the children] are doing so well. His daughters have his strength. We spend a lot of time talking about him. He is not a taboo subject at all. We talk about him all the time, and we do things he would have loved, we play Uno together and share stories. We remember the joy."

She went on: "Every day, I miss him. I have my moments, but I focus on him and his character. One word that would sum Sol up would be strength, so I try to weave that into my daily life. To see the community come together and do something like this to commemorate him means the world to me."

Cardiff City and their fans will continue to celebrate Sol Bamba’s life, keeping his legacy alive both on and off the pitch. Chloe has vowed to carry on supporting the Bluebirds, honouring the club that gave her husband so much joy. For the Bamba family and community, the focus will remain on remembering the joy and strength that Sol embodied every day.