Highlights:
1995: Benni McCarthy, aged 17, is given his debut by Gavin Hunt at Second Division side Seven Stars
1997: Scores twice away to Kaizer Chiefs while on loan at Cape Town Spurs; top-scores at African Youth Championship and is Player of the Tournament; joins Ajax Amsterdam for a South African record fee; makes his Bafana Bafana debut against The Netherlands; plays in the World Youth Cup finals
1998: Scores four goals for South Africa against Namibia in the African Nations Cup; Top scorer and Player of the Tournament; helps Ajax win Dutch League and Cup; scores South Africa’s first ever World Cup finals goal
1999: Wins Dutch Cup; joins Celta Vigo in Spain
2002: Plays in Afcon; scores 12 goals in 10 starts on loan at FC Porto in Portugal; becomes first South African to score at two World Cups
2003: Signs for FC Porto
2004: First South African to win a Uefa Champions League winners medal, coming on as a substitute as FC Porto beat AS Monaco 3-0 in the Final; also wins Portuguese League and Super Cup and is top scorer in the country
2005: Wins Portuguese Super Cup with Porto
2006: Plays in Afcon; wins Portuguese League and Cup with Porto; joins Blackburn Rovers in the English Premier League
2007: Second-top scorer in Premiership with 18 League goals
2008: Scores his 31st goal for South Africa, making him Bafana Bafana’s all-time top scorer
2010: Signs for West Ham United
2011: Joins Orlando Pirates; wins Telkom Knockout Cup
2012: Helps Pirates complete their second successive Treble; wins 80th cap
2013: Retires from football … while leading the vote amongst fans for the Pirates line-up in next month’s Carling Black Label Cup