NAIROBI – There is something different about Harambee Stars these days. It’s in the way the players walk onto the pitch, the way they hold the ball under pressure, the way they fight until the very last whistle. And at the heart of it all is a man who knows the game in his bones – Benni McCarthy.
For those who followed football in the 1990s and 2000s, McCarthy’s name still rings with the echo of goals. He was not just a striker; he was South Africa’s most prolific marksman, a man who knew where the net was before the ball even left his boot. From the townships of Cape Town to the bright lights of Europe’s biggest stages, McCarthy’s story has always been about defying limits.
At Ajax in Amsterdam, he announced himself to the world with a burst of pace and an instinct for goals that left defenders flat-footed. At Celta Vigo in Spain, he tested himself against the likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona. But it was at FC Porto in Portugal where McCarthy carved his place in history. In the 2003–04 season, he was the league’s top scorer and a key figure in a side that went on to lift the UEFA Champions League trophy -the only South African to do so.
England came next. At Blackburn Rovers, McCarthy lit up the Premier League with his lethal finishing, even challenging for the Golden Boot in his first season. He was the kind of striker who didn’t need many chances. One touch, one shot, one goal. Later, back home with Orlando Pirates, he showed that age could not dull a true striker’s instinct, helping the club to domestic glory before hanging up his boots.
But McCarthy was never going to walk away from football. The pitch had been his life, and now it would be his classroom. He began his coaching career in Belgium before returning to South Africa, where he led Cape Town City to a cup title and steered AmaZulu to their highest-ever league finish and a place in the CAF Champions League.
Andrew Boyers/Action Images/Reuters
Then came Manchester United. As part of Erik ten Hag’s coaching staff, McCarthy specialised in training forwards – a role that saw him work with some of the Premier League’s biggest names. His sessions were about more than drills; they were about confidence. Under his watch, Marcus Rashford hit the best form of his career, scoring freely and smiling again on the pitch. McCarthy knew that strikers live in a world of fine margins, and his job was to keep their belief unshakable.
That understanding is exactly what he has brought to Kenya. When he accepted the Harambee Stars job, McCarthy didn’t promise overnight miracles. He promised discipline, hard work, and a belief that Kenya could compete with Africa’s elite. His message was simple: if you think small, you play small; if you think big, you rise.
The early signs have been encouraging. At the African Nations Championship, Kenya fought to a draw against Angola despite being a man down, then stunned Morocco — Africa’s top-ranked side — with a gritty 1–0 win. McCarthy’s side played with structure, but also with heart. “The boys needed to see that they can stand toe-to-toe with the best,” he said afterwards.
He has cast his net wide, calling up over fifty players in training camps, from seasoned veterans like Victor Wanyama to young home-grown talents eager to prove themselves. His squads are competitive, balanced, and chosen on merit. For too long, Kenyan football has suffered from inconsistency, off-field wrangles, and a lack of depth. McCarthy is changing that — not with grand speeches, but with day-to-day work on the training ground.
And yes, there are challenges. Kenya’s road to the World Cup is steep. AFCON 2027 looms with its own pressures. But something is shifting. The team is fitter. They press harder. They celebrate each other’s goals with genuine joy. They play not just to survive matches, but to win them.
For Kenyan fans, hope has often felt like a fragile thing — lit brightly after a famous victory, then snuffed out by the next disappointment. McCarthy is not selling fleeting hope; he is building a foundation. His own career is proof that football can take you from the humblest beginnings to the highest peaks, if you dare to believe and work without compromise.
The road ahead will not be smooth. There will be setbacks. But with Benni McCarthy in the dugout, the Harambee Stars now have more than a coach — they have a fighter, a mentor, and a man who has seen what it takes to win at the very top.
And if his story tells us anything, it is this: the dream is never too big for those who refuse to let it go.
About the Author
