New Benni McCarthy biography to reveal untold stories behind his football career

“Looking back at my career, the moment that defined me the most was moving to Ajax Amsterdam,” Benni McCarthy told “Independent Media Lifestyle”.

“A kid growing up in Hanover Park, suddenly in Europe, the unknown was daunting. I had to grow up fast.”

That sense of being thrown into the deep end runs through “Benni”, the authorised biography of South African football icon McCarthy, due for release in February 2026.

Published by Pan Macmillan South Africa and co-authored with respected football writer Mark Gleeson, the book promises an unfiltered account of a life and career that reshaped what was possible for a footballer from the Cape Flats.

McCarthy’s story is well-known in outline. He remains the only South African footballer to have won the UEFA Champions League and is the all-time leading goal scorer for the South African national team, Bafana Bafana.

What the biography does is slow the story down, returning to the moments that shaped him long before the medals and global recognition arrived.

“For me, Ajax was everything,” McCarthy reflected. “New language, new culture, new food, a new environment. Life was much faster. I had to fend for myself and adapt to the situation. That was when I became a man.”

Raised in an area scarred by gang violence and limited opportunity, McCarthy learned early that talent alone would not carry him far.

“Growing up in Hanover Park, you learn to be tough, and you learn to fight for your dreams,” he said. “Nobody gives you anything for free. You have to work extremely hard and believe in yourself to make sure no door is shut.”

It is this reality that convinced him to agree to an authorised autobiography. McCarthy hopes the book will speak beyond football.

“I want people from all walks of life to see this book as a way to empower themselves,” he said.

“When people look at me, they see someone from a disadvantaged area with no means, only a dream. I am living proof that following your dream can change your life and the lives of everyone you love.”

The biography does not shy away from the difficult parts of that journey. McCarthy writes candidly about adversity, isolation and racism, experiences that tested him mentally and emotionally as he moved through European football.

“Dealing with racism is unfortunately part of the life we have to live,” he said. “It is a tough mental challenge, but once you make it, there is no feeling in the world that can replace that.”

Success brought dramatic changes. “Your life shifts completely,” McCarthy reflected.

“New opportunities, people’s views towards you change. There is respect, admiration and love. You become a role model to millions. The feeling is indescribable.”

Gleeson, who has followed McCarthy’s career since his teenage years, said the writing process revealed layers often hidden behind public debate and headlines.

“It was not hard to capture Benni’s voice,” Gleeson explained. “The book is Benni telling his tale. My role was to get it down on paper and add context. It was a privilege to be part of telling this story.”

Even for someone who witnessed many of McCarthy’s defining moments, the process was eye-opening.

“I have watched Benni play from the age of 17 and been present at many standout moments,” Gleeson said.

“But listening to him talk about them in detail was continually surprising and fascinating. There were many revelations that changed how I viewed parts of his career.”

Those revelations include a fresh perspective on McCarthy’s often complex relationship with Bafana Bafana, a subject that has long divided opinion among fans.

The book explores the pressures of carrying national expectation and the personal toll of controversy, offering McCarthy’s own account rather than a second-hand narrative.

It also traces his transition from player to coach, a shift that demanded a new kind of leadership and self-belief.

For McCarthy, coaching represents continuity rather than closure. “Football has always been about growth for me,” he said. “Each phase teaches you something new.”

The biography features a foreword by José Mourinho, the manager who brought McCarthy to FC Porto and guided him to Champions League glory.

For Gleeson, what sets the book apart is its broader resonance.

“This is the story of a soccer icon who traversed a difficult path to stardom,” he said. “What he achieved is what millions of African footballers dream of: breaking through to the highest level. It is a story that will inspire far beyond the pitch.”

McCarthy agreed. “People have had a lot to say about me throughout my career,” he said.

“This is my story from my own perspective. I am proud of what I have achieved, and I am looking forward to sharing it with the world.”