Benni McCarthy: Career Stats, Clubs, Age & Nationality

Benni McCarthy: profile

Benni McCarthy (born 12 November 1977 in Cape Town, South Africa) is a retired South African footballer who played as a forward.

McCarthy made the step into senior football with Cape Town Spurs F.C. in 1994. He played for 8 clubs in 5 countries between 1994 and 2013. The busiest spell of his career was at Blackburn Rovers F.C. (2006–2010): 109 appearances and 37 goals. Across all recorded club spells he totals 447 appearances and 218 goals.

At international level, McCarthy represented South Africa (1997–2012), earning 79 caps and scoring 31 goals. Our match database lists 12 of his international goals; the first came against Namibia on 16 February 1998 (Africa Cup of Nations). He also played for South Africa at under-23 level.

Cape Town has produced 146 footballers in our database, including Anele Ngcongca, Jayden Adams and Quinton Fortune.

Key facts

Senior international debut: 1997 (aged about 20)
First international goal: 1998 – aged 20 (match)
Club career: 1994–2013 (20 seasons)
Countries played in: 5: South Africa, Netherlands, Spain, Portugal and United Kingdom
Club goals per game: 0.49 (218 in 447)
Height: 183 cm — taller than 77% of South African internationals on record
Latest move: Orlando Pirates F.C. (2011)
Shares a birthday with: Adlène Guedioura, Nedum Onuoha and Benjamin Moukandjo (more)

Club career

Years	Club	League	Apps	Goals
1994–1996	Cape Town Spurs F.C.	Premier Soccer League	49	39
1995–1997	Seven Stars		49	42
1996–1997	Cape Town Spurs F.C.	Premier Soccer League	7	2
1997–1999	AFC Ajax	Eredivisie	36	20
1999–2003	RC Celta de Vigo	La Liga	66	10
2002	FC Porto	Primeira Liga	11	12
2003–2006	FC Porto	Primeira Liga	85	46
2006–2010	Blackburn Rovers F.C.	EFL Championship	109	37
2010–2011	West Ham United F.C.	EFL Championship	11	0
2011–2013	Orlando Pirates F.C.	Premier Soccer League	24	10
	Total		447	218

Appearances and goals are league figures where recorded on Wikidata; “–” means not recorded.

International career

Years	Team	Level	Caps	Goals
1997–2012	South Africa	Senior	79	31
—	South Africa U23	Under-23	–	–

International goals (12)

#	Date	Match	Min	Competition
1	16 Feb 1998	South Africa 4–1 Namibia	8	Africa Cup of Nations
2	16 Feb 1998	South Africa 4–1 Namibia	11	Africa Cup of Nations
3	16 Feb 1998	South Africa 4–1 Namibia	19	Africa Cup of Nations
4	16 Feb 1998	South Africa 4–1 Namibia	21	Africa Cup of Nations
5	22 Feb 1998	Morocco 1–2 South Africa	22	Africa Cup of Nations
6	25 Feb 1998	DR Congo 1–2 South Africa	60	Africa Cup of Nations
7	25 Feb 1998	DR Congo 1–2 South Africa	112	Africa Cup of Nations
8	18 Jun 1998	South Africa 1–1 Denmark	51	FIFA World Cup
9	5 May 2001	South Africa 2–1 Zimbabwe	40	World Cup Qualification
10	12 Jun 2002	South Africa 2–3 Spain	31	FIFA World Cup
11	10 Oct 2004	Uganda 0–1 South Africa	68 (pen)	World Cup Qualification
12	4 Jun 2005	Cape Verde 1–2 South Africa	10	World Cup Qualification

*Goals listed are those present in our match-by-match goal database, which is most complete for tournament matches.

Frequently asked questions

How old is Benni McCarthy?

Benni McCarthy was born on 12 November 1977, which makes him 48 years old.

Where was Benni McCarthy born?

Benni McCarthy was born in Cape Town, South Africa.

Which national team does Benni McCarthy play for?

Benni McCarthy played international football for South Africa. He has 79 caps and 31 goals on record.

Which clubs has Benni McCarthy played for?

Benni McCarthy's recorded clubs are Cape Town Spurs F.C., Seven Stars, AFC Ajax, RC Celta de Vigo, FC Porto, Blackburn Rovers F.C., West Ham United F.C. and Orlando Pirates F.C..

How tall is Benni McCarthy?

Benni McCarthy is 183 cm (6 ft 0 in) tall.

What position does Benni McCarthy play?

Benni McCarthy played as a forward.