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#2 Benni McCarthy
Before Benni McCarthy moved to Blackburn Rovers in 2006, the South African was already a known forward throughout Europe, having been key to Jose Mourinho’s FC Porto team that won the Champions League in 2004.
Brought to Europe by Ajax in 1997, 20 goals in 35 games resulted in a move to one of Europe’s ‘bigger’ leagues, Spain. Despite an impressive first season at Celta Vigo, McCarthy’s goals dried up. And so a loan move to FC Porto came about.
Impressing in Portugal, that move was made permanent. In 20 games under Mourinho, McCarthy scored 11 and also played a role in the 2004 Champions League win over AS Monaco.
What happened next for the South African was nothing short of extraordinary. Difficult to play against on his day, no one could have predicted how well he would do for Blackburn Rovers, whom he joined for just over £3m.
In just four years, McCarthy found the net on 52 occasions in all competitions for Blackburn in just 140 games. His best spell in European football, the South Africa forward will always be remembered in Lancashire.
