Benni McCarthy is considered one of South Africa’s greatest players following his illustrious career both at home and in Europe.
McCarthy is revered for his scoring prowess that saw him bang in 31 goals in 79 matches, making him South Africa’s all-time top scorer.
Having started at Seven Stars, via a loan stint at Cape Town Spurs, McCarthy moved to Europe aged just 20 to sign for Dutch giants Ajax Amsterdam with his career taking him to Celta Vigo in Spain, FC Porto in Portugal before a stint in the Premier League where he played for Blackburn Rovers and West Ham United.
McCarthy would end his career in South Africa following a highly successful two-year stint at Orlando Pirates, being part of the side that won the club’s last league title in 2012.
In total, he played 472 club games, scoring 175 goals while providing 30 assists, and remains the only South African player to have won the prestigious UEFA Champions League, having been part of Jose Mourinho’s all-conquering Porto side that claimed the 2004 crown.
Benni McCarthy news and latest info
Since his retirement in 2013, McCarthy transitioned into coaching, starting out with the U20s at Scottish side Hibernian in April 2015 as he worked on his coaching badges.
He would have a short stint as assistant coach at Belgian side Sint-Truidense under Yannick Ferrera following his appointment in September 2015 and worked until April 2016, when he left for personal reasons.
On June 13, 2017, McCarthy got his first job as head coach when he was unveiled as the new tactician of PSL side Cape Town City and acquired his UEFA Pro License while coaching the Citizens.
The Bafana Bafana legend led Cape Town City to their first trophy, the MTN8 in 2018, but on November 4, 2019, he was dismissed having won just two of his previous 18 games.
On December 14, 2020 McCarthy was appointed head coach of AmaZulu, leading the club to second place, their best-ever finish, in 2020-21 and qualified for the CAF Champions League, where they made it to the group stages, but he was sacked on March 25, 2022.
He would make a major coaching move when he was appointed attacking coach at Premier League giants Manchester United in July 2022 and worked for two years before he left at the end of his contract in June 2024.
On March 3, 2025, Benni McCarthy was unvelied as head coach of the Kenya national team, beginning a new chapter with the East African giants.
He signed a two-year contract as Harambee Stars coach that will take stint up to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.
Benni McCarthy stats: Everything you should know
McCarthy began his career in 1995 when he was 18 and played 49 games for Seven Stars, scoring 39 goals before a loan stint at Cape Town Spurs yielded three goals in seven games.
He played 48 games, scoring 21 goals for Ajax, 96 games and 22 goals for Celta Vigo, 58 goals in 124 matches for Porto, 52 goals in 140 matches for Blackburn and he did not score in 14 games for West Ham.
Benni scored 10 goals in 20 PSL games for Orlando Pirates where he won the PSL title in 2011-12, MTN8 in 2011, the same year he bagged the Telkom Knockout.
His stint at Ajax yielded an Eredivisie title and two KNVB Cups, at Celta Vigo, he won the UEFA Intertoto Cup, while in Portugal, he claimed the Champions League title as well as two league titles and three domestic cups.
Benni was part of the Bafana Bafana team that finished second at the 1998 Africa Cup of Nations, when he was named Player of the Tournament, and retired in 2012 after 31 goals in 79 matches.
Benni McCarthy wife and children
McCarthy has been married to Scottish model Stacey Munro since May 2014 and they have two children (son and daughter). He also has three daughters from his previous marriage to Spaniard Maria Santos.
Benni McCarthy salary and net worth
According to Celebrity Net Worth, McCarthy has a net worth of $16 million (R281 million) drawn from his football earnings, investments and properties, which include houses in the UK and South Africa, as well as a number of luxury cars.
Benni McCarthy: Your questions answered
McCarthy, is currently the head coach of the Kenya national team after signing a two-year contract that will take him up to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, which the country will co-host alongside Uganda and Tanzania.
During his unveiling in Kenya, Benni McCarthy said his main aim is to ensure they qualiff for the 2026 World Cup. You can use the welcome bonus you’ll get using the Betway r25 sign up bonus code to place a bet on his next match.
Where is Benni McCarthy now?
McCarthy is now in Nairobi, Kenya where he has been joined by his South African coaching staff of Vasili Manousakis (Assistant Coach), Moeneeb Josephs (Goalkeeper trainer), and Pilela Maposa as Performance Analyst.
How old is Benni McCarthy?
He was born on November 12, 1977.
Which team did Benni McCarthy play for?
Benni played for Seven Stars, Cape Town Spurs (loan), Ajax Amsterdam, Celta Vigo in Spain, FC Porto, Blackburn Rovers, West Ham United and Orlando Pirates.
Why did Benni McCarthy leave Manchester United?
He left United after the end of his two-year deal following a difficult campaign that saw the Red Devils finish eighth, their lowest-ever in the Premier League era.
How much was Benni McCarthy earning at Manchester United?
McCarthy is on a salary of Ksh8 million (R1.48 million) monthly, which is a drop from the £40,000 (R919,519) he was earning per week at Manchester United.
