Johannesburg – South African striker Benni McCarthy called an end to his glittering career on Thursday after 17 years in the business.
McCarthy started his career in Cape Town at Seven Stars before moving to Holland, Portugal and then England and then coming home.
He remains the only South African to have won the Uefa Champions League trophy – which came under Jose Mourinho at Porto in 2004.
McCarthy then moved to Blackburn Rovers, where he enjoyed a hugely successful debut season, before matters went sour between him and new manager Paul Ince.
The striker then joined West Ham United in 2010, but his struggle with weight problems and injuries doomed his stay at the club. A season later, they offered him £1.5 million to tear up his contract.
His final stint was a contract with Orlando Pirates as his wish of finishing his career on home soil was fulfilled.
McCarthy won the treble with the Soweto club in the 2011/12 season, but was reduced to an impact player between injury lay-offs.
It was unclear what Orlando Pirates’ plans were for the player, and a possible move to Ajax Cape Town seemed to still be on table, but in the early hours of Thursday morning, McCarthy released a statement announcing that he had hung up his boots.
McCarthy represented South Africa 80 times at international level and scored 31 goal. He played at two World Cup finals, the Olympic Games and the Under20 World Cup Finals. – IOL