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Benni McCarthy believes the current Bafana Bafana squad reflects major progress in South African football and is capable of competing at the highest level.
South African football icon Benni McCarthy has expressed immense pride in the current Bafana Bafana squad, highlighting that its strength is built on a foundation of locally-based talent.
The national team, currently in Morocco preparing for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), has also successfully qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, set to be hosted in the USA, Mexico, and Canada.
Benni McCarthy, a key member of the last South African team to qualify for a World Cup in 2002, is impressed by the ability of Hugo Broos's side to compete with top international players. He sees this as a clear indicator of the significant progress made by South Africa's domestic league.
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"The thing that I’m most proud of is that they are one country that has a complete national team built up from local players that play in South Africa," Benni McCarthy explained in an interview with Sporty TV.
"That shows that the South African league has progressed so much that the league is competitive, it’s good, and it’s strong," he continued.
"Almost all the players play in South Africa. When they go to the international level, they are able to then raise their game and compete against the international teams. And that is inspiring."
The former striker drew a sharp contrast with his own generation, which was dominated by players plying their trade in Europe. At the time of the 2002 World Cup qualification, Benni McCarthy himself was playing for Celta Vigo in Spain's La Liga.
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16:25 - 18.12.2025
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"Our team, almost all our players were coming from abroad," he recalled. "Everyone was playing for teams in Europe. I was playing for Celta Vigo in Spain; we had Quinton Fortune, Shaun Bartlett, Mark Fish, Lucas Radebe, Aaron Mokoena, Sibusiso Zuma, and Siyabonga Nomvethe."
"So, all our players were playing in Italy, England, Spain, Germany, and Turkey. They were playing for big teams. But now, all of our players are based in South Africa," Benni McCarthy noted.
"We have about three or four players who come from abroad. It’s a domestic national team, but a very well-groomed team."