‘Most Ruthless Ever’ - Harambee Stars Coach Benni McCarthy Names Man United Star Who Scared Him Most

Harambee Stars coach and former Manchester United first team coach Benni McCarthy.

‘Most Ruthless Ever’ - Harambee Stars Coach Benni McCarthy Names Man United Star Who Scared Him Most

Joel Omotto 06:32 - 28.04.2025

Harambee Stars coach Benni McCarthy has opened up about a former Manchester United player who always sent chills down his spine whenever he came up against him.

Harambee Stars coach Benni McCarthy was a striker who instilled fear in defenders during his playing days as he banged in goals for his clubs.

McCarthy enjoyed a great playing career in the Netherlands with Ajax Amsterdam, in Spain with Celta Vigo, at FC Porto in Portugal as well as with Blackburn Rovers and West Ham in the English Premier League.

The Bafana Bafana legend also played in South Africa with Orlando Pirates in the latter years of his career and still managed to cause havoc on defenders.

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However, even a striker so revered as him had opponents that he feared facing and he has opened up on the defender who sent chills down his spine every time he came up against him.

Which Man United legend scared Benni McCarthy?

Nemanja Vidic was the defender who gave Benni McCarthy the most difficult time. (IMAGO)

“Nemanja Vidic from Manchester United,” McCarthy told CGTN when asked about his toughest opponent during his storied playing career.

“My time at FC Porto and Blackburn [Rovers] facing Nemanja Vidic, he was the most ruthless defender ever,” added the 47-year-old regarding the no-nonsense defender who was never afraid to put his body on the line.

McCarthy came up against Manchester United a number of times during his playing days with FC Porto and while at Blackburn Rovers.

His most famous match against the Red Devils was in February 2004 in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 when he scored twice as FC Porto won 2-1 at home to head to Old Trafford for the second leg where United led 1-0 and 2-2 on aggregate and appeared on their way to the quarter-final on the away goals rule.

However, Costinha scored a 90th minute equaliser to eliminate Sir Alex Ferguson’s men with Jose Mourinho, who would lead Porto to the Champions League win that season, doing a knee slide at Old Trafford that remains in the minds of United fans to date.

At Blackburn, McCarthy is a legend, who banged in 52 goals in 140 matches across three-and-a-half years, with his team facing United eight times while he was there, and he managed to score twice in a 5-3 defeat in the League Cup in December 2008.