South Africa’s Biggest Prospect Set for Bumper Pay in America After Following Benni McCarthy’s Advice

South African youngsters look to be following the advice of Benni McCarthy and reaping big rewards.

McCarthy, who made the jump from South Africa to Europe as a teenager, when he signed for Dutch giants Ajax Amsterdam, has always maintained that players in his country need to move overseas early.

The Harambee Stars coach has even accused South African players of being to comfortable and lacking ambition by choosing to play all their careers at home.

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However, in recent months, a number of youngsters have been following his advice. In the last six months, two bright prospects have moved from South Africa to clubs abroad with winger Mohau Nkota choosing Saudi Pro League club Al Ettihad from Orlando Pirates.

By December, another Pirates player left. Defender Mbekezeli Mbokazi, regarded currently as South Africa’s biggest football prospect, ditched the Buccaneers for MLS club Chicago Fire.

The move divided opinion as some felt the young defender was ‘too good to play in the American league’ and should have waited for a club in Europe.

However, Mbokazi’s decision is set to see him change his life given the money on offer for the 20-year-old player.

According to Chicago Fire insider Alex Calabrese, Mbokazi, who was signed under the MLS U-22 Initiative, occupying an international roster slot, is in for a bumper salary.

“Per year, the bracket is roughly in the $600,000 (R9.8 million)-$1.2 million (R19.7 million),” Calabrese told SoccerBeat of Mbokazi’s salary range, which translates to Ksh75.5 million-Ksh155 million per year.

“It can be a little over a little less but let’s say $80,000-$90,000 (Ksh10.3 million-Ksh11.6million) a month if I do some little mental math that is what we are talking about.

“I don’t know how that is relative to the South African league but for a U-22, that usually amounts to the sixth or eight highest paid player on the MLS roster, which for a young centre-back, is quite extra-ordinary in the MLS.”

For a 20-year-old, who was playing in the second-string side just over a year ago, that is a big jump.

Mbokazi, who had a starring role for South Africa at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, will hope to hit the ground running in America and there is a feeling that it will not be long before he plays in Europe given what has been witnessed so far.