I survived cancer and completed my comeback by scoring winning penalty against Man United

The popular ex-defender enjoyed a hugely successful career with clubs including Dunfermline, Leicester City, Trabzonspor and Leeds United before joining Cardiff City and the life-changing experience that would follow.

As well as spending five years at a club he could call home and building up a relationship like no other with Neil Warnock, it was in south Wales where Bamba was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin lymphoma in January 2021, leading to a course of chemotherapy and a battle for his life.

For Bamba and his family, it was a terrifying period but one where the 38-year-old learned just how much of a community football really is.

Speaking to talkSPORT.com, Bamba said: "When you're a sports person you like to think that you're healthy and so when someone tells you that you have cancer it's a big shock.

"When the shock passed, Cardiff were very supportive.

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"I had my treatment in Wales and the NHS were very, very good - every one of them looked after me and my family and I couldn't have asked for any more.

"It was a difficult time but everyone at Cardiff, but not just Cardiff because I was overwhelmed by the support that I had all around the world really and especially England.

"I had messages from strangers and that helped massively because it gives you the strength to try and beat it so it was very, very good for me and the family to receive that support from all around the world.

"All of my clubs were very good, even the clubs that I didn't play for but my clubs were checking in regularly, sending messages and calling me.

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"I even had a referee texting me - can you believe it, I was always fighting with referees and even they were checking in!

"I was shocked because I didn't realise that the football world could do that. I thought I was just someone who kicked a ball but when people found out the support I had was crazy.

"It helped me massively but the main support is your family - the missus, my mum and dad and the kids because it's tough on them but they were strong for me and that helped me, definitely."

After months of pain and treatment, Bamba was announced that he was cancer-free and made his footballing comeback in Cardiff's final game of the 2020/21 season, playing the final two minutes of a 1-1 draw with Rotherham to a hero's reception from the home crowd.

"That was my plan all along," Bamba said.

"Being like I am, I had the plan all the way where I did all of the treatment and the chemo that I was meant to do and I wanted to come back before the end of the season.

Obviously the plan doesn't always work but that's what I wanted to do.

"When it happened and I came on for a minute or two you're just so happy because you've managed to do it and at that time because it's so overwhelming you don't realise.

"It's more after the game and a week or two later when you realise everything that you went through and you're happy.

"On that day it was a matchday and it's normal. I wasn't thinking 'I was sick and now I'm back here and it's unbelievable', it's just a normal day.

"You turn up and you're having a laugh with the lads, having the dressing room banter and then play a couple of minutes.

"But after it, when I was with my family, I realised just how good and special that moment was."

With Bamba's contract expiring at the end of that season, the experienced defender was offered the chance to rebuild his career with a familiar face in Neil Warnock who was manager of Middlesbrough.

Despite being cancer-free and back playing football, Bamba admits that it was particularly tough to rebuild hit fitness levels to the required level, saying: "You can work out all you want with a coaching team, but it's not the same as being match fit at Championship level.

"Until I'd played a couple of games I wouldn't know - I knew I was fit enough to train, but could I play Tuesday and Saturday? That was another question.

"With my experience and playing over 20 years I just trained the best I could and take it from there.

"The gaffer let me do some friendly games and so that gave me an idea of where I was and I played 90 minutes against York and it helped me but I was still behind.

"The training helped me through the season and it was hard.

"It was very, very difficult but I couldn't ask for a better club, manager or group of players to restart my career after what I'd been through and obviously we had the gaffer as well, so it helped me massively."

Signing a one-year deal with Middlesbrough, Bamba made 30 appearances - 20 in the starting XI - under Warnock and his successor at the Riverside Stadium, Chris Wilder.

But for Bamba one night topped the lot and that was the evening in which the veteran defender scored the winning penalty in a shootout to knock Manchester United out of the FA Cup in front of the Stretford End at Old Trafford.

Ralf Rangnick's side were flush with talent, including Cristiano Ronaldo, but after being brought on with just a couple of minutes of extra-time left, it was Bamba who was the hero on a night that made all of his personal struggles worthwhile.

He explained: "People said that I was cool, laughing and stuff like this but having gone through what I did the year before, I was just happy to be there.

"Don't get me wrong, I didn't want to miss it but even if I did, it wasn't the end of the world.

"I've been through difficult times so I just wanted to be there and enjoy it and luckily it went in.

"After that it was just pure joy. That's why you play football for moments like that - knocking out Man United, one of the biggest clubs in the world.

"The party after that - they partied for two days, but I didn't get involved in that, I just went home with the missus!

"But it was great and that's what football is about."

Bamba decided to hang up his boots at the end of that season with Middlesbrough and after working as assistant manager with Cardiff City last term, he's currently waiting for his next opportunity to build his experience in football.

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Football is great, but any player who gets to play under Bamba will be learning from someone with the sort of perspective and life experience that money can't buy.

You can watch Sol Bamba's interview in full on Phil Spencer's YouTube channel HERE.