Bafana Bafana legend Benni McCarthy has been unveiled as the new head coach of Kenya, the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) announced.
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McCarthy will be joined in east Africa by Vasili Manousakis (assistant coach), Moneeb Josephs (goalkeeping coach) and Pilela Maposa (performance analyst).
FKF president Hussein Mohammed said that McCarthy was the right person for the job.
“After a rigorous selection process, we are confident that Benni McCarthy is the right person to lead our national team forward. His experience, vision and commitment to developing Kenyan football align perfectly with our ambitions.”
Speaking shortly after his appointment, McCarthy, now 47, said he believed that Kenya has ‘immense potential’ and would look for his team to ‘play exciting football’.
“I am honoured to take on this role and excited about the journey ahead with the Kenyan national team. I have studied the talent in this country, and I believe there is immense potential to compete at the highest level,” McCarthy said.
“Together with my coaching team, we are committed to building a structured, disciplined and competitive squad. Our goal is to develop a strong team identity, play exciting football and make the nation proud.
Left Manchester United
The move comes following McCarthy’s departure from English Premier League giants Manchester United at the end of last season.
He had served as a first-team coach specialising in strikers under now former manager Erik ten Hag at Old Trafford.
McCarthy will have to hit the ground running with the World Cup qualifiers against Gambia and Gabon on 17 and 24 March, respectively, looming.
The Harambee Stars, who missed out on qualification for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in Morocco, currently sit fourth in their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying group, with five points from four matches.
There is still uncertainty regarding whether McCarthy will also handle the CHAN tournament in August or if local coaches will take charge of those games.
Coaching CV
Benni McCarthy’s appointment is seen as a significant step for Kenya, a nation eager to reclaim its stature in African football.
McCarthy’s coaching CV also includes managerial stints in South Africa’s PSL with Cape Town City FC and AmaZulu FC.
McCarthy played 79 matches for Bafana Bafana between 1997 and 2012, scoring a record 31 goals.
A look at the latest FIFA rankings shows that Kenya are ranked 25th in Africa and 108th in the world.
Will Benni McCarthy lead Kenya to the 2026 FIFA World Cup?
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