Benni McCarthy is rightly included in any conversation about who is the greatest South African footballer of all time. While ultimately a subjective choice, he most definitely ranks alongside South African greats such as Neil Tovey, Lucas Radebe, Patrick Ntsoelengoe and Doctor Khumalo, who became a national hero upon winning the African Cup of Nations on home soil in 1996. Having plied his trade in the top division of the Dutch, Spanish and Portuguese leagues, it was in the summer of 2006 that Benni McCarthy’s Premier League journey would begin.
McCarthy arrived in England having won both the Eredivise and the Primeira league with both Ajax and Porto respectively, as well as the Intertoto Cup with Celta Vigo. Despite this, as is the case with most players arriving from overseas, there was an air of doubt over whether or not Mccarthy could adapt to the harsh and demanding conditions of the top tier of English football.
However, on his home debut at Ewood park, McCarthy would find the back of the net against a competitive Everton side. If this was not enough to endear himself to the Blackburn Rovers faithful, he would follow this up with a goal on his European debut for the club against Red Bull Salzburg in the UEFA Cup, now known as the Europa League. His first season in the English Premier League sealed his faith as a fan favourite and ensured his cult status at Blackburn. He scored a staggering 18 goals in his first season, which left him 2nd in the overall goalscoring charts, behind only Didier Drogba and ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo in 3rd.
Benni McCarthy’s success in the English Premier League helped further propel the popularity of football in South Africa, showing that it was possible for their players to make it to the very top of world football. By ensuring that foreign leagues were at the forefront of South African football fan’s minds, websites such as sportybet have been able to cater to this intense interest in the global game.
While McCarthy would go on to endure a difficult spell in the Premier League after this initial season, it was more a case of bad luck and injuries as opposed to a question of quality. Following a further three seasons with Blackburn Rovers, he would make the switch to West Ham for the 2009/20 season where he would fail to score a goal in a two season spell. While, overall, this may sound like an unfulfilling time in English football, those who truly knew the game saw the talent that McCarthy possessed in his first injury free season in the league.
It was something that would never fully fade from memory and is reflected by his return in the summer of 2022 at none other than Manchester United. Of course, now in his forties, this return came by being appointed as a first-team coach at Old Trafford. His main role has been described as getting the offensive players to work as a unit. As part of the technical team, it will be his responsibility, along with the other coaches, to get Manchester United back to where they feel they belong.
While many may have been surprised by this appointment, it only goes to show how impressive and intelligent of a player McCarthy was in his heyday. While the South African-born international may have only really been able to demonstrate just how good he was for one season in England, he now has the opportunity for his legacy to continue by once again making an impact at the highest level.
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