- Benni McCarthy has had an impressive football career that saw him play for the likes of FC Porto and West Ham United.
- The new Harambee Stars head coach played for South Africa in the 1998 and 2002 FIFA World Cup tournaments.
- McCarthy has previously worked as a first team coach at Manchester United.
South Africa’s Benni McCarthy is set to be officially unveiled as the new Harambee Stars head coach on Monday 3 March 2025.
According to an announcement that was made by the Football Kenya Federation (FKFPL) on Thursday, McCarthy’s presentation ceremony is scheduled to take place at the Serena Hotel in Nairobi from 1:45 PM East African Time (EAT).
The ex-Manchester United tactician will replace Engin Firat, who stepped down from the position in December last year after failing to guide Harambee Stars to the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025 tournament.
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McCarthy’s appointment makes him the first ever South African citizen to take charge of Kenya’s senior national team.
Despite his stellar career as a footballer and a coach, very little is known about the man who has a huge task ahead of him.
Here are the key facts you need to know about McCarthy ahead of his presentation on Monday.
Personal life
Benedict Saul McCarthy was born on November 12, 1977 in Cape Town, South Africa. McCarthy has three siblings including a sister. His two brothers Jerome McCarthy and Mark McCarthy were both professional footballers.
Jerome played for clubs such as Manning Rangers and Kaizer Chiefs while Mark turned out for Franklin Pierce University, a learning institution based in the United States.
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The new Harambee Stars head coach has had two wives in his life. He married his first five Maria Santos, a Spanish citizen, in 2004 and stayed with her for a few years before parting ways in 2007. McCarthy and Santos were blessed with three daughters namely Mya, Allegra and Minna.
The 47-year-old later tied the note with his second wife Stacey Munro in 2014. Munro, who hails from Scotland, has two children with McCarthy.
McCarthy and Munro had their first born Lima Rose (daughter) in 2012 while their last born Lio Romero (son) was born in 2019.
Football career
McCarthy started playing football at an early age. Like most African footballers, he used to train with a small community club called Young Pirates.
He later joined Crusaders youth team before being signed by Seven Stars club at the tender age of 17. His star shone brightly at Sevens Stars and after a few years the talented forward joined Cape Town Spurs.
The man, who is expected to earn a mouthwatering monthly salary at Harambee Stars, went on to play for several top clubs around the world including Dutch giants Ajax, Celta Vigo, FC Porto, Blackburn Rovers, West Ham United and Orlando Pirates.
McCarthy’s best season came in the 2003-2004 season where he not only helped Porto bagged the coveted UEFA Champions League trophy but also won the golden boot award in the domestic league.
His two brilliant goals helped Porto, who were then coached by the current FC Fenerbahçe head coach Jose Mourinho, defeat a star-studded Manchester United side in the second round of the competition.
At international level, McCarthy made his debut for Bafana Bafana in a friendly match against the Netherlands in 1997.
He went on to have a remarkable career especially in the 1998 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament where he won the golden boot award alongside Egyptian legend Hossam Hassan.
McCarthy was also part of the South African squad that took part in the 1998 and 2002 FIFA World Cup tournaments that were held in France and South Korea/Japan respectively, scoring a total of two goals in the process.
Benni McCarthy coaching career
Apart from having an incredible playing career, McCarthy has also made a name for himself as a football coach.
He ventured into coaching after hanging his playing boots and went on to work at several clubs including Hibernian, Cape Town City, AmaZulu and Manchester United.
Achievements
McCarthy is one of the most decorated African footballers in the rich history of the beautiful game.
He has bagged numerous honors at both an individual level and with the clubs that he has played for in his career.
As a player, the most outstanding attaining in without doubt winning the 2003-2004 UEFA Champions League title with Portuguese giants FC Porto. McCarthy also won the Primeira Liga top scorer award that season.
The man, who has promised to incorporate youngsters in the Harambee Stars squad also bagged the golden boot award in the 1998 AFCON tournament alongside Egyptian forward Hossam Hassan as well as the African goal of the year trophy in 2004.
At the international level, McCarthy was part of the Bafana Bafana team that won the 2002 Reunification Cup and finished second in the 1998 AFCON tournament.
Finally, as a coach, McCarthy guided Cape City FC to the coveted MTN 8 Cup in 2018. He was also part of the technical bench that helped Manchester United lift the League Cup and FA Cup titles.
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