Mitch Freeley 

The career of Benni McCarthy is a curious one. Considered as one of the most promising South African talents of his generation, scored a famous brace against Manchester United and lifted the Champions League,  so how did his career end in the sixth tier of Scottish football? 

To start, we have to look at how caught the eye of Ajax and kickstarted his move to European football. A promising attacker for local side Seven Stars an 18-year old McCarthy scored 13 goals in the 95-96 season. Seven Stars soon merged with Cape Town Spurs to form Ajax Cape Town, a feeder club for the Dutch giants. 

McCarthy moved to Europe and played alongside the likes of Michael Laudrup, Edwin van der Sar, the De Boer brothers and a teenage Andy van der Meyde. His time in Amsterdam was a success as he picked up the league and cup in two seasons. Before long the South African moved to Celta Vigo of Spain for a then-record fee for a Banafa Banafa player. 

After two seasons struggling in the north of Spain, a loan move to Portugal would prove to be the catalyst in McCarthy’s career. Young manager Jose Mourinho had been appointed head coach at Porto, after the African Cup of Nations, McCarthy returned to Porto and helped his side to a third-place finish and a place in the UEFA Cup with 12 goals in 11 appearances.

Despite the striker wanting to stay on in Portugal, financial constraints meant a permanent deal was impossible meaning a return to Vigo as a substitute. Meanwhile, Porto stormed to the league and UEFA Cup double. 

The summer of 2003 would be a breakthrough in the career of McCarthy, with striker Helder Postiga bound for Premier League side Tottenham. Mourinho pushed for the signing of McCarthy who was duly handed the number 77 shirt. 

Three goals from the opening three games of the season confirmed that McCarthy was back to his very best but it was in the Champions League that the striker excelled. Placed in a tough group alongside Real Madrid Partizan Belgrade and Marseille, McCarthy played a part in four of the six group games, scoring twice in the 2-1 win at home to Partizan Belgrade. It would prove to be the start of a memorable run in the Champions League for Porto. 

Not many would have given Porto a hope against current Premier League Champions Manchester United. The Dragao, however, was expectant of an upset, after seeing their side go unbeaten in the league up to this point. It wasn’t the best start for the hosts, as Quintin Fortune pounced on a parry from keeper Vítor Baíato hand United the lead with just fifteen minutes on the clock. 

Mourinho’s men stuck to the task at hand, and McCarthy levelled the contest on the half-hour mark, latching onto Dmitri Alenichev’s cross to volley the ball into the bottom corner.

Into the second half, and McCarthy headed Porto into the lead outjumping Gary Neville and Wes Brown to plant a header into the top corner. It would prove to be the difference as Porto took a 2-1 lead into the second-leg at the theatre of dreams. 

It would be a night etched in the memories of Manchester United and Porto fans for a long time. An early Paul Scholes header had the Red Devils on course for the quarter-finals on away goals for an eighth consecutive season. However, McCarthy would have other ideas. With 90 minutes on the clock, Porto where awarded a dangerous free-kick primed and ready the number 77 curled a fierce shot towards the top corner.

Tim Howard palmed away the shot into the path of Costinha who made no mistake, a killer goal with no time left handed the result to Porto. As Jose Mourinho scampered down the touchline, black coat billowing in the air a managerial star was born, thanks in no small part to McCarthy. 

The Quarter-finals saw Porto pitted against Lyon, and McCarthy would again have a telling role to play. His errant shot was turned in by Deco to give his side a first-half lead before a Richardo Carvalho header twenty minutes from time gave Mourinho’s side a comfortable 2-0 lead into the second leg. 

Lyon pushed and hurried Porto under the lights of the Stade Gerland in the second leg. However, it was the visitors who drew first-blood scoring an all-important away goal. Deco again the provider for Manchine who lashed the ball into the top corner. Lyon got a foot back into the contest through Peguy Luyindula before Deco provided another assist for Maniche again, lashing the ball home to seal a place in the semi-finals. 

Deportivo La Coruña awaited in the final four. Boss Javier Irureta would prove to be a tough nut to crack for Mourinho as a tight and tetchy first-leg in Porto ended goal-less. The emphasis was on the second leg in Spain. Depor had been flying high in the Champions League, and had dispatched Juventus, and pulled a mammoth comeback against AC Milan in the quarters. 

McCarthy would have to settle for a place on the bench that night, as Mourinho went for his preferred pairing of Derlei and Carlos Alberto the perfect mixture of pace and power for a tightly poised contest. 

With an hour on the clock, Deco schemed his way into the box, and Cesar launched a reckless tackle. It was touch and go if it was a penalty, but referee Pierluigi Collina pointed to the spot. Derlei kept his neve and drilled the ball past Molina. The UEFA Cup winners had made the Champions League. 

McCarthy was on the bench at the Gelsenkirchen as Porto took on Monaco, who were managed by Didier Deschamps. The buildup was dominated by Jose Mourinho and his move to newly moneyed Chelsea. The brightest managerial prospect was on his way to the Premier League. 

On the pitch, Porto saved their best to last, outmanoeuvring Monaco forgoing possession and springing forward on the counter. With the contest over at 3-0 McCarthy replaced Derlei, becoming the only South African to win the Champions League. The striker ended the season as a treble winner, and with the golden boot in Portugal.

The fall in grace was swift for the forward. Even with the Champions League side now broken up, McCarthy managed to be the side’s top scorer with eleven goals, as Porto limped to third place and the final of the UEFA Cup where they lost 2-1 to Valencia. McCarthy’s final season in Portugal would bring 31 appearances and 7 goals as Porto’s number nine would lift a second league and cup double. 

Blackburn Rovers won the race for McCarthy in the summer of 2006. A prolific season followed at Ewood Park, with 24 goals in all competitions as Blackburn finished in tenth place under Mark Hughes. The second season proved to be less fruitful for McCarthy who was gaining a reputation as a character off the pitch.

McCarthy slowly fell down the pecking order at Blackburn and was eventually sold to West Ham, with rumours that current Rovers boss Sam Allardyce was unhappy with the weight the striker had put on. 

McCarthy’s stint in West London was just as unhappy as injury and a lack of form halted any regular game-time. Having signed a two and a half year deal with the Hammers, in February 2010, McCarthy had his contract cancelled by mutual consent by April 2011 with a reported £1.5 million pay-off. 

After announcing his retirement from the professional game at 35, McCarthy turned to coaching. Earning his badges in Scotland, McCarthy joined the staff at Hibernian in 2013, which eventually led to his footballing swansong at Scotland Lowland league club Whitehill Welfare.

A goal and an assist followed in what is sure to have been the biggest name to have ever graced the sixth tier of Scottish football. 

Benni McCarthy can look back on his career with plenty of pride and plenty of what-ifs. At his peak, the Cape Town-born striker was one of the most dangerous number nines in the European game, playing a starring role in Porto’s run to Champions League glory. 

Yet, the question remains that could he have hit further heights had he not moved from Porto a little earlier. After an initial strong start in the Premier League, activities away from the pitch proved to be his undoing, eventually ending in a pre-season friendly in Scotland. Still, as the only South African to have won the Champions League McCarthy has that glorious 2003-04 campaign with Porto to savour.