Benni McCarthy tells his own story in new autobiography

By Dylan Bettencourt

• Mark Gleeson wrote the 191-page book Benni, covering McCarthy’s rise from the Cape Flats to winning the 2003/04 Uefa Champions League.

• McCarthy is Bafana Bafana’s all-time top scorer with 31 goals and now coaches Kenya for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.

Benni McCarthy grew up on the gang-ridden, drug-infested Cape Flats. His life story, from that tough childhood to European football glory, is now told in a new autobiography.

The 191-page book, simply called Benni, was written by veteran journalist and football commentator Mark Gleeson.

McCarthy, now 48, grew up a staunch Kaizer Chiefs and Manchester United fan. After catching the eye with Seven Stars against Chiefs in the mid-1990s, he moved to Ajax Amsterdam.

He had spells at Ajax and Celta Vigo in Spain before finding his best football under José Mourinho at FC Porto. The pair won the 2003/04 Uefa Champions League. Mourinho wrote the foreword to the book.

“When I think of him, I immediately remember a smiley face and a good character,” Mourinho said. “He had everything that a coach loves in a player.”

McCarthy later joined Blackburn Rovers and West Ham United. At Blackburn in the 2006/07 season, he was the second-highest scorer in the English Premier League with 18 goals. The book covers a falling out with West Ham executive Karren Brady, whom McCarthy once called “the devil with tits” in a *Sunday Times* interview.

McCarthy is Bafana Bafana’s all-time top scorer with 31 goals in 80 caps. His relationship with the national team was complicated, and he went into early international retirement at one stage. At the 1998 Africa Cup of Nations, he scored four goals against Namibia.

He ended his playing career at Orlando Pirates, winning the 2011/12 Premiership title and an MTN8 medal. McCarthy later joined Manchester United’s coaching staff under Erik ten Hag, working with the attackers.

He now coaches the Kenyan national team as they prepare to co-host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations. Benni is published by Pan Macmillan and available online and at all leading bookstores.

Pictured above: Benni McCarthy.

Image source: File