Benni McCarthy To Release Biography In February
Bafana Bafana’s all-time leading goalscorer, Benni McCarthy, has confirmed that he will release his biography—telling the story of his life and career—by February next year.
Since McCarthy, who now coaches the Kenya national team, announced that his book will be released in 2026, several current and former players he previously coached and played with in the PSL—such as Teko Modise, Lyle Lakay, Keagan Buchanan, Tarriq Fielies, and Stanton Fredericks—have already reacted to the news.
Lakay, Modise and Fielies worked under McCarthy at Cape Town City, where they won the MTN8 title in the 2018/19 season after beating SuperSport United on penalties at Moses Mabhida Stadium.
However, he was sacked the following season after results declined, before later joining AmaZulu in December 2020.
In his first season with the Durban-based club, McCarthy guided Usuthu to a second-place finish behind Mamelodi Sundowns—their highest-ever position in the PSL era.
He was dismissed in March 2022 after another dip in results.
McCarthy was then appointed as Manchester United’s strikers coach in June 2022, but left the club in 2024 after his contract was not renewed.
During his illustrious playing career, McCarthy won the UEFA Champions League in 2004 with FC Porto under José Mourinho—remaining the only South African to lift the trophy. He famously scored two goals against Manchester United in the first leg of the Round of 16 in front of 50,000 fans at Estádio do Dragão.
On the cover of the book released by McCarthy, Mourinho is quoted saying: “Benni had everything a coach loves in a player.”
Mourinho signed McCarthy from Celta Vigo in 2002, and the South African repaid his trust by scoring 37 goals in 58 matches under the former Real Madrid manager.
“My biography, BENNI, will be released in February 2026. Looking forward to sharing this book with you,” McCarthy said.
The 48-year-old—who also became the first player to score for Bafana Bafana at a FIFA World Cup, doing so in 1998 against Denmark—has worked under several top coaches, including Gianfranco Zola, Alex Dyer, Sam Allardyce, Paul Ince, Mark Hughes, Víctor Fernández, José Couceiro, Miguel Ángel Lotina, Octávio Machado, Morten Olsen and Jan Wouters.
McCarthy, who won the treble with Orlando Pirates in the 2011/12 season as he neared the end of his career, scored 31 goals in 80 matches for Bafana Bafana.
