Harambee Stars head coach Benni McCarthy has confirmed that he will sing South Africa’s national anthem when Kenya face Bafana Bafana on Friday, November 13, in a 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying encounter at Orlando Amstel Arena in Johannesburg.
McCarthy, who is South Africa’s all-time leading goalscorer with 31 international goals, said his appointment as Kenya’s head coach had not diminished his attachment to his homeland, which he represented during his playing career.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with iDiski Times journalist Matshelana Mamabolo ahead of the encounter, the 49-year-old maintained that he remained South African and would not abandon his national identity despite being in charge of the opposing team.
“I’m still a South African, and I have done a great deal for my country when it comes to football, so I will sing my national anthem,” McCarthy said.
The former Bafana Bafana striker admitted that facing the country he once represented would bring mixed emotions, particularly because of his personal history and the memories attached to playing for the national team.
“Eish, facing Bafana ain’t no easy task and all the emotions that come with it. It’s a mixed emotion feeling, to be honest. It’s my country and my first love that makes it ever so hard,” he added.
However, McCarthy insisted that his emotional connection to South Africa would not interfere with his responsibilities as Kenya’s coach, stressing that his immediate priority was to help Harambee Stars compete and secure a positive result.
“But my professional duty is to the team and country I manage, so all the emotions go out the window. We will do our very best to maintain the utmost professionalism and give a good account of ourselves,” he stated.
He further explained that he could not afford to become emotionally invested in South Africa’s fortunes because his responsibility was to guide Kenya towards success.
McCarthy also acknowledged the challenge of facing Bafana Bafana, recognising their standing in African football while expressing respect for their coach, Pitso Mosimane, whom he described as a respected coach and friend.
“Victory would be amazing but I know how difficult it will be, considering Bafana’s status in African football,” he said.
The encounter carries additional significance for McCarthy, who returns to familiar surroundings as an opponent after building a distinguished career with South Africa. He featured for Bafana at the 1998 FIFA World Cup and was part of the squad that finished runners-up at the 1998 AFCON.
He also played for several European clubs, including FC Porto, where he won the UEFA Champions League in 2004, and Blackburn Rovers.
South Africa head into Friday’s encounter in stronger qualifying form, having collected six points from their opening two Group D matches. Kenya, meanwhile, have one point after drawing 1-1 with Eritrea before losing 1-0 to Guinea.
Despite already securing automatic qualification for the 2027 AFCON as co-hosts alongside Uganda and Tanzania, Kenya will be seeking competitive performances from the remaining qualifying fixtures as McCarthy continues to assess his squad ahead of next year’s tournament.
The two sides will meet again on Tuesday, November 17, at Nairobi’s Nyayo National Stadium, giving McCarthy another opportunity to test his players against his former national team.
