Harambee Stars Coach Benni McCarthy Poised For Possible Bafana Bafana Reunion After Snub

Harambee Stars coach Benni McCarthy is poised for a possible encounter with home nation South Africa sooner rather than later.

The Kenya national football team tactician was unveiled as Harambee Stars coach after being linked with the Bafana Bafana coaching role.

PAY ATTENTION: Stay updated with the Latest Sports News in Kenya from Pulse Sports

McCarthy, who has previously expressed a desire to coach the South African national football team, faces a possible encounter with his home country.

This comes on the back of Hugo Broos-coached Bafana Bafana making the final line-up of the 2024 African Nations Championship.

The August continental showpiece is poised to be hosted across Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania.

The Belgian tactician led Bafana Bafana to stage a dramatic turnaround on Sunday, overturning a 1-0 first-leg deficit against Malawi to win the tie 2-1 on aggregate.

Following their triumph, they joined Group C alongside Algeria, which features Uganda, Niger, and Guinea.

Benni McCarthy's Harambee Stars find themselves in Group A with Morocco, Angola, DR Congo, and Zambia.

If both nations manage to make it out of the group stages, endless possibilities could pit McCarthy and his Harambee Stars team against Bafana Bafana in the knockout phase—making for a tasty encounter with pride and loyalties on the line.

The former Bafana Bafana striker has previously expressed that if the two nations come face to face, he will back Kenya all the way despite being South Africa's hero, as previously reported by Pulse Sports.

The South African all-time top scorer's links to Bafana Bafana have persisted.

As one of the most accomplished, an eventual coaching role with his home nation has been seen as just a matter of time.

In 2021, McCarthy himself expressed a desire to coach the South African national football team in a few years' time.

"If the Bafana offer came up one day, I would definitely be interested. Which coach or manager wouldn't be interested in being the head coach of his country?" he asked, as quoted by BBC Sports.

"The national job is the biggest job for any football coach—your country's fate lies in your hands, you have the chance to guide the team to World Cups, to win the Africa Cup of Nations—it's huge."

"I think one day in the near future that would be my aim, but for now I am more interested in working on a day-to-day basis," he added.

He has since taken up the Kenyan job despite renewed links in 2024 following his exit as Manchester United first-team coach.

Now, McCarthy hopes to guide Kenya to continental glory—with his home nation potentially in their path.