Souleymane Bamba
Encyclopedia
Souleymane "Sol" Bamba is a professional
footballer who plays for Championship
club Leicester City
, as a defender
.
Bamba started his career in his native France
with Paris Saint-Germain
, but failed to establish himself in their first team and moved to Scotland
to join Dunfermline Athletic
in 2006. Two years later he was transferred to Hibernian
, before joining current club Leicester City
in 2011.
Born in France to Ivorian parents, Bamba represented the Ivory Coast
in the 2008 Olympic Games and has since become a regular for the full national side.
club Paris Saint-Germain
at the age of 14. Despite impressing for PSG's youth and B teams, he only appeared in two first team games, in his final year at the club. A dispute with the PSG manager, Vahid Halilhodžić
, caused Bamba to leave the club.
side Dunfermline Athletic
in July 2006. Jim Leishman
later revealed that he had been intending to bring over another player from France
on trial, but this deal fell through and Bamba's agent sent him instead. Leishman was immediately impressed by Bamba's physique and his performance as a trialist against John Hartson
. During his short trial, Bamba also came on as a substitute in a friendly match against La Liga
side Osasuna
; he impressed by making several tackles and blocks.
Throughout the course of the 2006–07 season
Bamba continued to impress with his no-nonsense, fully committed defending style and enthusiastic approach to every game. Bamba was part of the squad that reached the 2007 Scottish Cup Final
, but were also relegated
from the Scottish Premier League
. Bamba signed a two-year contract extension at the start of the 2007–08 season
, but his performances were less impressive in the First Division
.
Bamba was allowed to go on trial with English Championship
side Watford
in July 2008, appearing in a friendly for them against Boreham Wood
. Soon afterwards, manager Jim McIntyre said he expected a fee to be agreed between Dunfermline and Watford, which would allow Bamba to move to the Championship
side. Although the deal was thought to be almost complete, Watford pulled out for unknown reasons. A few weeks later, Dunfermline accepted offers of £
50,000 from Scottish Premier League
sides Hibernian
and Motherwell
.
, signing a three-year contract with the club. He was sent off on his debut for a second bookable offfence against Dundee United
, but Bamba subsequently established himself in the Hibs first team. Despite being a natural centre back, manager
Mixu Paatelainen
praised Bamba's contribution as a defensive midfielder in a 2–0 win against Celtic
in December 2008. Paatelainen commented further that he believed Bamba had improved as a player since his spell at Dunfermline, due to not going to ground when making a challenge. Bamba quickly became a popular player with the Hibs support due to his tough and committed tackling in this new role.
New manager John Hughes moved Bamba back to a central defensive role after the sale of Rob Jones
in the 2009 close season. In his second match in this position, Bamba scored his first ever professional goal in a 3–1 win against Falkirk
on 22 August. Coincidentally, he scored his second goal for the club at the same ground against the same team and in another 3–1 win, on 27 March. The Edinburgh Evening News
reported on 8 May 2010 that Bamba's performances had "not gone unnoticed", with scouts from Fulham
and Rennes due to watch Bamba. Sven Goran Eriksson, the new manager of the Ivory Coast national team, was also due to watch Bamba ahead of the 2010 World Cup
, but was not spotted at the last game played by Hibs in the 2009–10 season.
Bamba angered manager
John Hughes when he failed to report for a pre-season tour of the Netherlands
in July 2010. Bamba responded to this criticism by claiming that he needed a full three weeks off after returning from the World Cup
, but Hughes dropped Bamba from the first team squad when he eventually returned to Edinburgh. Bamba was recalled for the second leg of a UEFA Europa League tie with NK Maribor
at Easter Road
, but Hibs lost 3–2 on the night and 6–2 on aggregate.
club Leicester City
for his transfer. The deal was confirmed on 2 January 2011, with Bamba joining for an undisclosed fee. He was reunited at Leicester with his former Ivory Coast manager, Sven Goran Eriksson. Bamba made his debut and scored a goal with his first touch of the ball in a 2–2 FA Cup
draw against Manchester City
on 9 January. He scored his first two league goals in a 4–2 win over Millwall
on 22 January.
Bamba signed a new contract with Leicester in September 2011.
, Bamba represents his parents' homeland of Côte d'Ivoire
. He featured in the 2003 FIFA World Youth Championship
, the 2005 African Youth Championship
and the 2008 Toulon Tournament
. Bamba was part of the Côte d'Ivoire squad that reached the quarter-finals of the 2008 Olympic Games
.
Bamba won his first cap at full international level in a 2008 friendly match against Israel
, and his second cap as a late substitute in a friendly against Turkey
. Bamba made his competitive debut in a 5–0 win against Malawi
in a 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifying
match, again as a late substitute. This match was played in the aftermath of the Houphouët-Boigny Arena stampede
, which killed dozens of Ivorian spectators. Bamba became a regular in the national team as they qualified for the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations and the 2010 FIFA World Cup
. Bamba scored his first goal for the team in a friendly against Rwanda
, as part of the squad's preparation for the 2010 African Cup. He played in all of Ivory Coast's matches at the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations, but the team suffered a disappointing quarter-final defeat by Algeria
after extra time. The "uneasy" central defensive partnership between Kolo Toure
and Bamba was cited as one of the reasons for their defeat. The tournament had been played in the shadow of the shooting of the Togo
team bus, however, with death threats also being made against the Ivory Coast team.
Coach Vahid Halilhodzic
, who had worked with Bamba at PSG
and given him his first appearances at club and international level, was sacked after the tournament. The new Ivory Coast coach, Sven Goran Eriksson, selected Bamba in his provisional 30 man squad for the 2010 World Cup
on 11 May. Bamba scored in Eriksson's first match in charge, a 2–2 draw with Paraguay
. Bamba was selected in the finals squad of 23, but was dropped from the starting lineup, with midfielder
Didier Zokora
chosen to partner Kolo Toure
in central defence.
Professional sports
Professional sports, as opposed to amateur sports, are sports in which athletes receive payment for their performance. Professional athleticism has come to the fore through a combination of developments. Mass media and increased leisure have brought larger audiences, so that sports organizations...
footballer who plays for Championship
Football League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
club Leicester City
Leicester City F.C.
Leicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester...
, as a defender
Defender (association football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
.
Bamba started his career in his native France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
with Paris Saint-Germain
Paris Saint-Germain FC
Paris Saint-Germain Football Club , also known simply as Paris Saint-Germain and familiarly as Paris SG or PSG , is a professional association football club based in Paris, France. The club was founded on 12 August 1970, thanks to the merger of Paris FC and Stade Saint-Germain...
, but failed to establish himself in their first team and moved to Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
to join Dunfermline Athletic
Dunfermline Athletic F.C.
Dunfermline Athletic Football Club are a Scottish football team based in Dunfermline, Fife, commonly known as just Dunfermline. They currently compete in the Scottish Premier League....
in 2006. Two years later he was transferred to Hibernian
Hibernian F.C.
Hibernian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Leith, in the north of Edinburgh. They are one of two Scottish Premier League clubs in the city, the other being their Edinburgh derby rivals, Hearts...
, before joining current club Leicester City
Leicester City F.C.
Leicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester...
in 2011.
Born in France to Ivorian parents, Bamba represented the Ivory Coast
Côte d'Ivoire national football team
The Côte d'Ivoire National Football Team or Ivory Coast National Football Team, nicknamed Les Éléphants , represents Côte d'Ivoire in international football and is controlled by the Fédération Ivoirienne de Football...
in the 2008 Olympic Games and has since become a regular for the full national side.
PSG
Bamba began his career with Ligue 1Ligue 1
Ligue 1 , is the French professional league for association football clubs. It is the country's primary football competition and serves as the top division of the French football league system. Ligue 1 is one of two divisions making up the Ligue de Football Professionnel, the other being Ligue 2....
club Paris Saint-Germain
Paris Saint-Germain FC
Paris Saint-Germain Football Club , also known simply as Paris Saint-Germain and familiarly as Paris SG or PSG , is a professional association football club based in Paris, France. The club was founded on 12 August 1970, thanks to the merger of Paris FC and Stade Saint-Germain...
at the age of 14. Despite impressing for PSG's youth and B teams, he only appeared in two first team games, in his final year at the club. A dispute with the PSG manager, Vahid Halilhodžić
Vahid Halilhodžic
Vahid "Vaha" Halilhodžić is a former Bosnian football player and now a manager, currently managing the Algeria national football team....
, caused Bamba to leave the club.
Dunfermline Athletic
After an initial trial period, Bamba signed for Scottish Premier LeagueScottish Premier League
The Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...
side Dunfermline Athletic
Dunfermline Athletic F.C.
Dunfermline Athletic Football Club are a Scottish football team based in Dunfermline, Fife, commonly known as just Dunfermline. They currently compete in the Scottish Premier League....
in July 2006. Jim Leishman
Jim Leishman
Jim 'Leish' Leishman MBE, is a former professional footballer and current director of football of Scottish Premier League side Dunfermline Athletic.-Playing:...
later revealed that he had been intending to bring over another player from France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
on trial, but this deal fell through and Bamba's agent sent him instead. Leishman was immediately impressed by Bamba's physique and his performance as a trialist against John Hartson
John Hartson
John Hartson is a former Welsh international footballer who played as a striker, best known for his spells with West Ham and Celtic. Hartson also featured prominently for Wales, earning 51 caps until his international retirement in 2006...
. During his short trial, Bamba also came on as a substitute in a friendly match against La Liga
La Liga
The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
side Osasuna
CA Osasuna
Club Atlético Osasuna, known as Osasuna, is a Spanish football team based in Iruñea-Pamplona, in the autonomous community of Navarre.Founded in 1920, it currently plays in the Spanish first division, holding home games at the 19,553-capacity Estadio Reyno de Navarra...
; he impressed by making several tackles and blocks.
Throughout the course of the 2006–07 season
2006-07 in Scottish football
The 2006–07 season was the 110th season of competitive football in Scotland.-2006:*9 July: Rangers defender Fernando Ricksen is banned for the club's pre-season trip to South Africa, following an incident on the outbound flight. Manager Paul Le Guen cited "wholly inappropriate and...
Bamba continued to impress with his no-nonsense, fully committed defending style and enthusiastic approach to every game. Bamba was part of the squad that reached the 2007 Scottish Cup Final
2007 Scottish Cup Final
The 2007 Scottish Cup Final was played on 26 May 2007 at Hampden Park in Glasgow and was the final of the 121st Scottish Cup. The final was contested by Celtic, who beat St...
, but were also relegated
Promotion and relegation
In many sports leagues around the world, promotion and relegation is a process that takes place at the end of each season. Through it, teams are transferred between divisions based on their performance that season...
from the Scottish Premier League
Scottish Premier League
The Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...
. Bamba signed a two-year contract extension at the start of the 2007–08 season
2007-08 in Scottish football
The 2007-08 season was the 111th season of competitive football in Scotland.-Overview:* Gretna were competing in the Scottish Premier League for the first time, their first ever season in the top-flight, after being promoted as First Division champions the previous season.* Dunfermline Athletic...
, but his performances were less impressive in the First Division
Scottish Football League First Division
The Irn-Bru Scottish Football League First Division Championship is the highest division of the Scottish Football League and the second highest in the Scottish football league system....
.
Bamba was allowed to go on trial with English Championship
Football League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
side Watford
Watford F.C.
Watford Football Club is an English professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as Watford F.C., Watford, or by the team's nickname The Hornets . Watford Rovers, Founded in 1881, entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1886, and the Southern League a decade...
in July 2008, appearing in a friendly for them against Boreham Wood
Boreham Wood F.C.
Boreham Wood F.C. are a football club based in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, England, at Meadow Park football ground. They were established in 1948, and have reached the FA Cup 2nd Round proper twice in their history. For 2011-12 they will play in Conference South...
. Soon afterwards, manager Jim McIntyre said he expected a fee to be agreed between Dunfermline and Watford, which would allow Bamba to move to the Championship
Football League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
side. Although the deal was thought to be almost complete, Watford pulled out for unknown reasons. A few weeks later, Dunfermline accepted offers of £
Pound sterling
The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
50,000 from Scottish Premier League
Scottish Premier League
The Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...
sides Hibernian
Hibernian F.C.
Hibernian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Leith, in the north of Edinburgh. They are one of two Scottish Premier League clubs in the city, the other being their Edinburgh derby rivals, Hearts...
and Motherwell
Motherwell F.C.
Motherwell Football & Athletic Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Motherwell, North Lanarkshire. The club compete in the Scottish Premier League and are one of only seven teams to have remained in this league since it was founded in 1998...
.
Hibernian
Bamba chose to move to HibernianHibernian F.C.
Hibernian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Leith, in the north of Edinburgh. They are one of two Scottish Premier League clubs in the city, the other being their Edinburgh derby rivals, Hearts...
, signing a three-year contract with the club. He was sent off on his debut for a second bookable offfence against Dundee United
Dundee United F.C.
Dundee United Football Club is a Scottish professional football club located in the city of Dundee. Formed in 1909, originally as Dundee Hibernian, the club changed to the present name in 1923...
, but Bamba subsequently established himself in the Hibs first team. Despite being a natural centre back, manager
Manager (association football)
In association football, a manager is responsible for running a football club or a national team. The manager of a professional club is responsible directly to the club president. The position of manager is almost exclusively used in British football...
Mixu Paatelainen
Mixu Paatelainen
Mika-Matti Petteri "Mixu" Paatelainen is a former Finnish international football player and the current manager of the Finnish national team, having started the role in April 2011...
praised Bamba's contribution as a defensive midfielder in a 2–0 win against Celtic
Celtic F.C.
Celtic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which currently plays in the Scottish Premier League. The club was established in 1887, and played its first game in 1888. Celtic have won the Scottish League Championship on 42 occasions, most recently in the...
in December 2008. Paatelainen commented further that he believed Bamba had improved as a player since his spell at Dunfermline, due to not going to ground when making a challenge. Bamba quickly became a popular player with the Hibs support due to his tough and committed tackling in this new role.
New manager John Hughes moved Bamba back to a central defensive role after the sale of Rob Jones
Rob Jones (footballer born 1979)
Robert William "Rob" Jones is an English footballer who currently plays as a centre back for League One club Sheffield Wednesday....
in the 2009 close season. In his second match in this position, Bamba scored his first ever professional goal in a 3–1 win against Falkirk
Falkirk F.C.
Falkirk Football Club is a Scottish professional football club based in Falkirk. It is one of two professional football teams from the town, the other being East Stirlingshire...
on 22 August. Coincidentally, he scored his second goal for the club at the same ground against the same team and in another 3–1 win, on 27 March. The Edinburgh Evening News
Edinburgh Evening News
The Edinburgh Evening News is a local newspaper based in Edinburgh, Scotland. It is published daily . It has a circulation of 68,000 and is owned by Johnston Press, which also owns The Scotsman and many regional titles throughout the UK.Much of the copy contained in the Evening News concerns local...
reported on 8 May 2010 that Bamba's performances had "not gone unnoticed", with scouts from Fulham
Fulham F.C.
Fulham Football Club is a professional English Premier League club based in southwest London Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they play in the Premier League, their 11th current season...
and Rennes due to watch Bamba. Sven Goran Eriksson, the new manager of the Ivory Coast national team, was also due to watch Bamba ahead of the 2010 World Cup
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
, but was not spotted at the last game played by Hibs in the 2009–10 season.
Bamba angered manager
Manager (association football)
In association football, a manager is responsible for running a football club or a national team. The manager of a professional club is responsible directly to the club president. The position of manager is almost exclusively used in British football...
John Hughes when he failed to report for a pre-season tour of the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
in July 2010. Bamba responded to this criticism by claiming that he needed a full three weeks off after returning from the World Cup
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
, but Hughes dropped Bamba from the first team squad when he eventually returned to Edinburgh. Bamba was recalled for the second leg of a UEFA Europa League tie with NK Maribor
NK Maribor
Nogometni Klub Maribor , commonly referred to as NK Maribor or simply Maribor, is a professional association football club based in the city of Maribor, Slovenia. Founded on 12 December, 1960, Maribor is one of only three football clubs in the country who have never been relegated from...
at Easter Road
Easter Road
Easter Road is a football stadium located in the Leith area of Edinburgh, Scotland, which is the home ground of Scottish Premier League club Hibernian . The stadium currently has an all-seated capacity of 20,421, which makes it the fifth-largest football stadium in Scotland. Easter Road is also...
, but Hibs lost 3–2 on the night and 6–2 on aggregate.
Leicester City
With Bamba's contract with Hibs due to expire at the end of the 2010–11 season, the club agreed a fee with Football League ChampionshipFootball League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
club Leicester City
Leicester City F.C.
Leicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester...
for his transfer. The deal was confirmed on 2 January 2011, with Bamba joining for an undisclosed fee. He was reunited at Leicester with his former Ivory Coast manager, Sven Goran Eriksson. Bamba made his debut and scored a goal with his first touch of the ball in a 2–2 FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
draw against Manchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
on 9 January. He scored his first two league goals in a 4–2 win over Millwall
Millwall F.C.
Millwall Football Club is an English professional football club based in South Bermondsey, south east London, that plays in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football. Founded as Millwall Rovers in 1885, the club has retained its name despite having last played in the...
on 22 January.
Bamba signed a new contract with Leicester in September 2011.
International career
Although he was born in FranceFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Bamba represents his parents' homeland of Côte d'Ivoire
Côte d'Ivoire national football team
The Côte d'Ivoire National Football Team or Ivory Coast National Football Team, nicknamed Les Éléphants , represents Côte d'Ivoire in international football and is controlled by the Fédération Ivoirienne de Football...
. He featured in the 2003 FIFA World Youth Championship
2003 FIFA World Youth Championship
The 2003 FIFA World Youth Championship took place in United Arab Emirates between November 27 and December 19, 2003. The 2003 championship was the 14th contested...
, the 2005 African Youth Championship
African Youth Championship
The African Youth Championship is the main international youth football competition for CAF nations, and is competed for by under 20 year olds...
and the 2008 Toulon Tournament
2008 Toulon Tournament
The 2008 Toulon Tournament was the 36th edition of the Toulon Tournament, and was held from 20 May to 29 May 2008. Tournament finished with the final between Italy and Chile at Stade Mayol in Toulon as Italy had the title after the final score of 1–0, scored by Pablo Daniel Osvaldo on 70th...
. Bamba was part of the Côte d'Ivoire squad that reached the quarter-finals of the 2008 Olympic Games
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
.
Bamba won his first cap at full international level in a 2008 friendly match against Israel
Israel national football team
The Israel national football team is the national football team of Israel, controlled by the Israel Football Association .Israel National Football is the direct successor of the Eretz Yisrael National Team during British Mandate...
, and his second cap as a late substitute in a friendly against Turkey
Turkey national football team
The Turkey national football team represents Turkey in association football and is controlled by the Turkish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Turkey. They are affiliated with UEFA...
. Bamba made his competitive debut in a 5–0 win against Malawi
Malawi national football team
The Malawi national football team, nicknamed The Flames, is the national team of Malawi and is controlled by the Football Association of Malawi. Before 1966 they were known as the Nyasaland national football team...
in a 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifying
2010 FIFA World Cup qualification (CAF)
The Confederation of African Football section of the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification saw teams compete for five berths in the final tournament in South Africa...
match, again as a late substitute. This match was played in the aftermath of the Houphouët-Boigny Arena stampede
Houphouët-Boigny Arena stampede
A stampede occurred on 29 March 2009 in the Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire before a 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification match between Malawi and Côte d'Ivoire. Nineteen people were killed and more than 130 were injured...
, which killed dozens of Ivorian spectators. Bamba became a regular in the national team as they qualified for the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations and the 2010 FIFA World Cup
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
. Bamba scored his first goal for the team in a friendly against Rwanda
Rwanda national football team
The Rwanda national football team, nicknamed Amavubi , is the national team of Rwanda and is controlled by the Fédération Rwandaise de Football Amateur...
, as part of the squad's preparation for the 2010 African Cup. He played in all of Ivory Coast's matches at the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations, but the team suffered a disappointing quarter-final defeat by Algeria
Algeria national football team
The Algeria national football team , nicknamed الأفنــاك, Les Fennecs , represents Algeria in association football and is controlled by the Fédération Algérienne de Football. Algeria's home ground is the Stade 5 Juillet 1962 in Algiers and their head coach is Vahid Halilhodžić.Algeria has qualified...
after extra time. The "uneasy" central defensive partnership between Kolo Toure
Kolo Touré
Kolo Habib Touré is an Ivorian footballer who plays for Manchester City and Ivory Coast. Touré is a central defender. He is the elder brother of Manchester City team-mate Yaya Touré and Makasa's Ibrahim Touré.-Arsenal:...
and Bamba was cited as one of the reasons for their defeat. The tournament had been played in the shadow of the shooting of the Togo
Togo national football team
The Togo national football team, nicknamed Les Eperviers The Togo national football team, nicknamed Les Eperviers The Togo national football team, nicknamed Les Eperviers (The Sparrow Hawks, is controlled by the Fédération Togolaise de Football.They played at the 2006 FIFA World Cup. Their team bus...
team bus, however, with death threats also being made against the Ivory Coast team.
Coach Vahid Halilhodzic
Vahid Halilhodžic
Vahid "Vaha" Halilhodžić is a former Bosnian football player and now a manager, currently managing the Algeria national football team....
, who had worked with Bamba at PSG
Paris Saint-Germain FC
Paris Saint-Germain Football Club , also known simply as Paris Saint-Germain and familiarly as Paris SG or PSG , is a professional association football club based in Paris, France. The club was founded on 12 August 1970, thanks to the merger of Paris FC and Stade Saint-Germain...
and given him his first appearances at club and international level, was sacked after the tournament. The new Ivory Coast coach, Sven Goran Eriksson, selected Bamba in his provisional 30 man squad for the 2010 World Cup
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
on 11 May. Bamba scored in Eriksson's first match in charge, a 2–2 draw with Paraguay
Paraguay national football team
The Paraguay national football team is controlled by the Paraguayan Football Association and represents Paraguay in men's international football competitions. The team has reached the second round of the World Cup on four occasions . The 2010 trip also featured their first appearance in the...
. Bamba was selected in the finals squad of 23, but was dropped from the starting lineup, with midfielder
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
Didier Zokora
Didier Zokora
Déguy Alain Didier Zokora is an Ivorian footballer who plays for Turkish club Trabzonspor and the Ivorian national team. Zokora plays in a defensive role and is a strong tactical player in the middle of the park.-Early career:Zokora started his career in Côte d'Ivoire at the famed youth academy of...
chosen to partner Kolo Toure
Kolo Touré
Kolo Habib Touré is an Ivorian footballer who plays for Manchester City and Ivory Coast. Touré is a central defender. He is the elder brother of Manchester City team-mate Yaya Touré and Makasa's Ibrahim Touré.-Arsenal:...
in central defence.
International goals
- Scores and results list Côte d'Ivoire's goal tally first.
# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition 1 7 January 2010 Benjamin Mkapa National Stadium Benjamin Mkapa National StadiumNational Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania, named after the 3rd president of Tanzania, Benjamin William Mkapa. It is currently used mostly for football matches. It currently holds 60,000 people. The stadium opened in 2007. The structure cost TZS 56.4bn/-. It was...
, Dar es SalaamDar es SalaamDar es Salaam , formerly Mzizima, is the largest city in Tanzania. It is also the country's richest city and a regionally important economic centre. Dar es Salaam is actually an administrative province within Tanzania, and consists of three local government areas or administrative districts: ...1–0 2–0 Friendly 2 30 May 2010 Stade Joseph-Moynat Stade Joseph-MoynatStade Joseph-Moynat is a multi-use stadium in Thonon-les-Bains, France. It is currently used mostly for football matches and is the home stadium of Croix de Savoie Gaillard. The stadium is able to hold 6,000 people....
, Thonon-les-BainsThonon-les-BainsThonon-les-Bains is a town in the Haute-Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department.-History:...2–0 2–2 Friendly
Career statistics
| Club | Season | League | Domestic Cups | Europe | Total | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Paris Saint-Germain | 2004–05 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2005–06 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Total | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Dunfermline Athletic Dunfermline Athletic F.C. Dunfermline Athletic Football Club are a Scottish football team based in Dunfermline, Fife, commonly known as just Dunfermline. They currently compete in the Scottish Premier League.... |
2006–07 | 23 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 30 | 0 |
| 2007–08 | 15 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 0 | |
| 2008–09 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 39 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 51 | 0 | |
| Hibernian Hibernian F.C. Hibernian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Leith, in the north of Edinburgh. They are one of two Scottish Premier League clubs in the city, the other being their Edinburgh derby rivals, Hearts... |
2008–09 | 29 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 30 | 0 |
| 2009–10 2009–10 Scottish Premier League The 2009–10 Scottish Premier League season was the twelfth season of the Scottish Premier League. Rangers were the defending champions and they retained the championship with three games to spare by winning 1–0 against Hibernian at Easter Road on 25 April... |
30 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 32 | 2 | |
| 2010–11 2010–11 Scottish Premier League The 2010–11 Scottish Premier League was the thirteenth season of the Scottish Premier League, the highest division of Scottish football. It commenced on 14 August 2010 and ended on 15 May 2011... |
16 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 18 | 2 | |
| Total | 75 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 80 | 4 | |
| Leicester City Leicester City F.C. Leicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester... |
2010–11 2010–11 Football League Championship The 2010–11 Football League Championship was the seventh season of the league under its current name and nineteenth season under its current league division format... |
16 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 3 |
| 2011–12 2011–12 Football League Championship The 2011–12 Football League Championship is the eighth season of the league under its current title and nineteenth season under its current league division format.... |
16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 0 | |
| Total | 32 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 34 | 3 | |
| Career Total | 147 | 6 | 19 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 166 | 7 | |
See also
- Dunfermline Athletic F.C. season 2007–08 | 2008–09
- Hibernian F.C. season 2008–09 | 2009–10 | 2010–112010–11 Hibernian F.C. seasonSeason 2010–11 for Hibernian was their 12th consecutive season of play in the Scottish Premier League. It was the first season played in the redeveloped Easter Road stadium, with its capacity increased to over 20,000 for the first time since it became an all-seater stadium in the early 1990s....
- 2010–11 Leicester City F.C. season2010–11 Leicester City F.C. seasonThe 2010–11 season was Leicester City F.C.'s 106th season in the English football league system and their 59th season in the second tier of English football...
| 2011-122011–12 Leicester City F.C. seasonThe 2011–12 season is Leicester City F.C.'s 107th season in the English football league system and their 60th season in the second tier of English football...