In a stirring proclamation, Benni McCarthy, the legendary former Bafana Bafana striker, has spotlighted two South African talents he believes should be sharing the grand stages with football icons like Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappe. The 47-year-old, who etched his name in history by winning the UEFA Champions League with FC Porto in 2004, has high hopes for Mamelodi Sundowns stars Teboho Mokoena and Ronwen Williams.
McCarthy, back on home soil after a stint as Manchester United’s striker coach, spoke passionately to Robert Marawa about the untapped potential of South African players. He made a compelling case for Mokoena and Williams to showcase their skills in Europe, particularly in the UEFA Champions League.
“I would have a pool of top South African talents that I would want. That is a shop window now into the big leagues. I would bring some South African players into the Scottish League to come. They play there and just kill it. And then from there, that’s how you get your name on,” he stated with conviction.
Reflecting on his vision, McCarthy shared, “Teboho Mokoena, Ronwen Williams—we share the same agent. Not that I would want to cripple Sundowns, but these are players that I think the country should be seeing playing in the Champions League on the big stages and having their names amongst the Jude Bellinghams, the Mbappes.”
Both Mokoena and Williams, who have already dazzled in their local league and shone during the recent AFCON campaign, are prime candidates for a move to Europe. Their talents and potential align perfectly with McCarthy’s dreams of seeing more South Africans excel on the world’s biggest football platforms.
As McCarthy continues to advocate for South African football talent, the question remains: will the likes of Mokoena and Williams get their shot at European glory? Only time will tell, but with Benni McCarthy in their corner, their prospects look brighter than ever.