Newly appointed Kenya national team coach Benni McCarthy has pledged to elevate the country’s football to unprecedented heights.  

McCarthy, who had been linked to the role since December, was officially unveiled to the Kenyan media on Monday and is said to have signed a two-year deal.

He is joined by fellow South Africans Vasili Manousakis as his assistant coach and Moeneeb Josephs as his goalkeeper coach, marking his first foray into national team management.

AmaZulu’s head analyst Pilela Maposa, who will be performance analyst, will join the national team staff on March 15th, two days before their away match against Gambia in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.  

McCarthy has been without a coaching position since leaving Manchester United at the end of last season, where he served as the club’s striker coach under Erik ten Hag.  

“I want to make the Harambee Stars the best football team that East Africa has ever seen,” he stated, according to reports in Kenya. “We want to make Kenyans proud of hosting CHAN and AFCON. We will work towards seeing Kenya reach the latter stages of the competition, either the semi-finals or the final.”

Kenya will co-host the Africa Cup of Nations in 2027

McCarthy’s first match in charge of the Harambee Stars will be the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Gambia away, followed by a home match against Gabon on March 24th in Group F.

Kenya currently sits fourth in Group F with five points after four matches, trailing group leaders Ivory Coast by five points, second-placed Gabon by four points, and Burundi by two points.

McCarthy, who won the UEFA Champions League with FC Porto under José Mourinho in 2004, the only South African to achieve this feat, is also Bafana Bafana’s all-time leading goal scorer with 31 goals in 80 appearances.