Benni McCarthy’s Mother, Meet Dora McCarthy: Biography, Age, Net Worth, Husband, Children

Dora McCarthy is the mother of Benni McCarthy, one of the most famous and successful South African footballers. She raised her son in a harsh environment but supported his passion for the beautiful game.

She witnessed his rise to stardom, his achievements and challenges as well as his pains and joys. She is a proud and loving mother, always standing by her son even when he was left out of the national team for the 2010 World Cup.

Early life and family

Dora McCarthy was born in Cape Town, South Africa, to an Irish immigrant family who settled in the 1960s.

She grew up in a working-class family and married Dudley McCarthy, a local man who shared her Irish heritage. They have four children, three boys and one girl.

Their youngest son, Benedict Saul, was born on November 12, 1977 and is nicknamed Benni.

Dora and Dudley live in Hanover Park, one of the Cape Flats, an area known for high unemployment and gang violence.

They struggle to make a living and provide their children with a safe and stable environment. They also faced discrimination and racism from the apartheid regime, which oppressed non-white people in South Africa.

Benni’s football career

Benni started playing football at a young age, joining a local team called Young Pirates managed by his uncle. He then joined the youth team of a local amateur club called Crusaders.

He showed great potential and skills and was soon scouted by first division club, Seven Stars, at the age of 17. He impressed with his performances and scored 29 goals during the season. first prize.

He then moved to Cape Town Spurs, which later merged with Seven Stars to form Ajax Cape Town, a feeder team for Dutch club Ajax. He attracted the attention of international scouts and was signed by Ajax in 1997.

He became the first South African player to play in the Netherlands and quickly adapted to the European style of play. He won several titles with Ajax, including the Eredivisie, KNVB Cup and UEFA Cup.

He also made his debut for the South African national team, Bafana Bafana, in 1997, in a friendly match against the Netherlands.

He became an important player for his country, scoring 31 goals in 80 appearances. He was a member of the team that won the 1996 Africa Cup of Nations and qualified for the 1998 and 2002 World Cups.

He also won the Golden Boot and Player of the Tournament at the 1998 Africa Cup of Nations, where he scored 7 goals, including 4 in a match against Namibia.

Benni’s success with Ajax and South Africa attracted the interest of several major European clubs. He moved to Spain in 1999, joining Celta Vigo, where he played alongside his idol, Brazilian legend Ronaldo.

He scored 10 goals in his first season and helped the club reach the quarter-finals of the UEFA Cup. He also scored a memorable goal against Juventus in the Champions League, which earned him his nickname “The Black Pearl of the Mediterranean.”

He then moved to Portugal in 2003, joining Porto, where he played under Jose Mourinho, one of the best coaches in the world.

He won the Primeira Liga, Portuguese Cup and UEFA Champions League with Porto, becoming the only South African to win the prestigious European trophy.

He scored twice in the final against Monaco, making him the tournament’s top scorer with six goals.

He then moved to England in 2006, joining Blackburn Rovers, becoming one of the most prolific strikers in the Premier League.

He scored 18 goals in his first season and 24 goals in his second, making him the second highest scorer in the league behind Cristiano Ronaldo. He also won the League Cup with Blackburn in 2007, scoring the winning goal in the final against Tottenham Hotspur.

He moved to West Ham United in 2010, but injuries and poor form ruined his story. He only scored 3 goals in 14 appearances and was released by the club in 2011.

He then returned to South Africa, joining Orlando Pirates, where he won the Premier Soccer League, Nedbank Cup and MTN 8 Cup treble in 2012. He retired from professional football in 2013 after scoring more than 200 goals.

Benni’s coaching career

Benni did not give up football after retiring. He pursued a coaching career, achieving UEFA A and B licences.

He began as assistant coach at Belgian club Sint-Truiden in 2015, working under former teammate, Chris O’Loughlin.

He then became head coach of Cape Town City in 2017, leading the club to the MTN 8 Cup title in 2018 and third place in the Premier Soccer League in 2019. He also won the award Coach of the 2019 season.

He then moved to Scotland in 2020, becoming assistant coach at Hibernian, working under his former manager, Jack Ross.

He helped the club finish third in the Scottish Premiership in 2021 and qualify for the UEFA Europa Conference League. He also helped the club reach the 2021 Scottish Cup final, where they lost to St Johnstone.

He then moved to England in 2022, becoming Manchester United’s first team coach, working under his former mentor, Jose Mourinho.

He is responsible for the attacking and finishing aspects of the team as well as mentoring the younger players. He helped the team improve their performance and challenge for the Premier League title and UEFA Champions League trophy.

Dora’s reaction to Benni’s exclusion from the 2010 World Cup

Dora was devastated when she learned her son was not selected for the South African team to attend the 2010 World Cup hosted by their country. She had hoped to see him compete in front of his home crowd and make his country proud.

She blamed coach Carlos Alberto Parreira for his decision, saying he was biased and unfair. She also blamed the South African Football Federation, saying they did not support her son and were jealous of his success.

She said she felt betrayed and heartbroken by the news and had no interest in watching the World Cup. She said she would rather watch her son’s DVD and remember his glory days.

She said that she is proud of her son and that he is the best player in the world. She says she loves him and will always be by his side.

Dora’s support for Benni’s coaching career

Mrs. Dora supports her son’s coaching career and thinks he has a lot of knowledge and experience to share with the younger generation.

She said she was happy to see him pursue his passion and achieve his goals. She said she is proud of his achievements and that he is a good example for his children and community.

She said she watches his matches on TV and cheers for him and his team. She said she hopes he will one day coach the South African national team and lead them to glory. She says she believes in him and he has a bright future ahead.

Net value

Dora McCarthy has amassed an estimated net worth of $1 million.

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