Benedict McCarthy, born on November 12, 1977 in Cape Town, South Africa is a football player. He has two brothers, the older named Jerome McCarthy is also a professional footballer who played for some clubs including Kaizer Chiefs and Manning Rangers. Right from his childhood, Benni McCarthy was an ardent fan of Mark Hughes, former manager of Blackburn Rovers, and was his major source of inspiration. Benni McCarthy is married and has a kid.
In 1997, Benni McCarthy gave an impressive performance in the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) World Youth Championship. He became the joint top scorer in the 1998 African Cup of Nations by scoring seven goals. He has even represented his national team at the 2002 African Nations Cup. As of August 2008, Benni McCarthy has played 70 matches for the South Africa national football team and has made 30 goals.
When Benni McCarthy was 18, he played 29 matches and made 37 goals for Seven Stars, a South African Football Club, in the 1995-96 season. He made another 24 goals in the next 20 games, which paved way for his transfer to Cape Town Spurs, which later merged with Seven Stars to form Ajax Amsterdam feeder team Ajax Cape Town. During his tenure at Ajax, he made nine goals and helped the club clinch the Netherlands Championship title. He was a part of the team that won the Koninklijke Nederlandse Voetbal Bond (KNVB) Cup in both the 1997-98 and 1998-99 seasons.
After his successful stint with Ajax, Benni McCarthy was sold to Celta Vigo, a Spanish football team, which loaned him to F.C Porto, a Portuguese sports club in the 2001-02 season. The major highlight in his career was when he bagged the Golden boot award for his stunning 20 goals in 23 games, including the hat-trick on the final day the 2004 Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) Champions League. Benni McCarthy was instrumental in the club’s win and became the only South African national footballer to have won the UEFA Champions League, with FC Porto in 2004. He also contributed to the win of the Portuguese Liga and Portuguese Supercup in the same season and was a part of the FC Porto team that won the Portuguese Supercup in the next season. In the 2005-06 season, he helped his club to win the Portuguese Liga and Portuguese Supercup again.
Benni McCarthy signed a four year contract with Blackburn Rovers in July 2006, and he made his European debut in the UEFA Cup. He made a goal in the match against Salzburg and impressed his Rover fans. His 18 league goals in the 2006-07 Premier League season made him the second top scorer. Paul Ince, the manager of the Rovers Club appreciates Benni McCarthy and is happy to have him in the team.
Benni McCarthy is very excited about the 2010 FIFA World Cup, which is to be played in South Africa. He updates himself with the preparations made by the country and is looking forward to play in front of his countrymen.
