He was a Parisian of African descent who played in France, Turkey and Italy, but the first thing you heard whenever he spoke was a touch of Edinburgh. His death at 39, announced on Saturday night, will bring so many people down. When time ran out for him at Elland Road early in the 2016-17 season, he severed his contract quickly and left. It was telling that, despite his comments, Leeds signed him permanently from Palermo, almost as if Cellino admired the size of his cojones. I often wondered if the best route to making Cellino listen was to front him up, and Bamba’s willingness to carry the flag has not been forgotten. Those who didn’t are perennially appreciated. In 2020, he was diagnosed with a form of cancer on Christmas Eve. Bamba had accepted it as “God’s will”, she said, which sounds like him. He’ll have gone without resentment or bitterness, the embodiment of his glorious smile.(Top photo: Alex Pantling/Getty Images)Subscribe to The Athletic for in-depth coverage of your favorite players, teams, leagues and clubs. Phil grew up near Edinburgh in Scotland and is a staff writer for The Athletic, covering Leeds United.

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He was a Parisian of African descent who played in France, Turkey and Italy, but the first thing you heard whenever he spoke was a touch of Edinburgh. His death at 39, announced on Saturday night, will bring so many people down. When time ran out for him at Elland Road early in the 2016-17 season, he severed his contract quickly and left. It was telling that, despite his comments, Leeds signed him permanently from Palermo, almost as if Cellino admired the size of his cojones. I often wondered if the best route to making Cellino listen was to front him up, and Bamba’s willingness to carry the flag has not been forgotten. Those who didn’t are perennially appreciated. In 2020, he was diagnosed with a form of cancer on Christmas Eve. Bamba had accepted it as “God’s will”, she said, which sounds like him. He’ll have gone without resentment or bitterness, the embodiment of his glorious smile.(Top photo: Alex Pantling/Getty Images)Subscribe to The Athletic for in-depth coverage of your favorite players, teams, leagues and clubs. Phil grew up near Edinburgh in Scotland and is a staff writer for The Athletic, covering Leeds United.

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