Benni McCarthy’s exciting LaLiga stint at Celta Vigo inspired millions of South Africans and it continues to drive hundreds of young footballers in Evaton in the Emfuleni region of Gauteng.
McCarthy first introduced Celta Vigo to South Africans when he joined the club in 1999 and played 60 games for the club in LaLiga, against some of the world’s best clubs and players and at some of the world’s most famous stadiums.
So inspired were a group of young footballers in Evaton, north of Sebokeng, that when they formed their own local club they named it in honour of the sky blues of Celta Vigo.
Head coach and founder, Themba Dlamini, established the Celta Vigor Football Club in 2001 – named slightly differently to avert any legal issues in Spain – but fuelled and inspired by Real Club De Celta Vigo in the northern Galician region of Spain that is known the world over.
“I was playing football with the boys in the streets in my hometown in Zone 6 of Evaton and they were so passionate about the game and asked me if I could help them to formally open a team. We said let’s come up with a name that’s different to any other team. At the time Benni was in the 18 area, he was our best thing ever. No one in South Africa knew about Celta Vigo until Benni McCarthy went there,” Dlamini told LaLiga’s South African office.
“We had names like Benfica, Leeds, Manchester United, Liverpool, some even wanted to call the club Kaizer Chiefs. But when we voted for a name we decided to name the team in honour of Celta Vigo, as we wanted to start something new here in South Africa. Benni was our inspiration from day one,” Dlamini added.
The club was formally established in 2001 and over the years, thousands of young boys and girls footballers have represented the club, who play their formal football in the Emfuleni local league in the South African Football Association’s Sedibeng region.
Graduates from Celta Vigor include rising star Sabelo “Bibo” Radebe, who joined Kaizer Chiefs as a 14-year old after spending four years at Celta, as well as Orlando Pirates’exciting young talent Boitumelo Radiopane.
Currently over 330 young footballers play for the club in the under 11, under 13, under 15, under 17 and senior age groups, and impressively for an amateur team – other than their base in Evaton they also have Celta ‘branches’ in Sasolburg, Qwa Qwa and Koppies in the Free State – and will soon open one in Soweto.
Quietly, unbeknownst to the LaLiga club, Celta Vigor modelled themselves on the Olivicos, studying their game, their style and watching as many Celta Vigo games as they could in LaLiga.
“We love the brand of Celta Vigo and want to promote it here in South Africa. When they play, our boys call themselves Spanish and carry themselves as professionals. I loved and followed the philosophy of Spanish football in our neighborhood long before anyone else did. We follow Celta Vigo religiously. It’s not easy watching their games, as we are from a disadvantaged area, and their games are shown on pay television, but we always try to find a place to watch them play. And when I have data, we sometimes watch them on my phone,” says Dlamini.
It was only in 2012 that Dlamini started communicating with Celta Vigo representatives in Spain, who since then have been supplying Evaton’s Celta Vigo Development Centre with kit and equipment, including the now familiar sky blue Celta Vigo jerseys.
“For the Celta Foundation and RC Celta it is a pride that our club serves as inspiration and motivation for others, beyond our borders. The case of Benni McCarthy is not the only one for which we are known in different countries, the same has happened to us with Mido in Egypt or with Mostovoi in Russia, for example.
The first news that reached us about the existence of this academy was to request various sports equipment, which we delivered with great pride, and from that first time we have tried to support it at least once a season.
As a foundation, our primary objective must be to try to help and collaborate with those who request it, and thanks to the help of LaLiga, we have a deeper knowledge of how this academy is working, which we hope to be able to meet in person soon and transmit a little of our knowledge to their coaches to be useful in the training process with the boys and girls who are part of it.” Said Marcos Alonso from Fundación Celta.
With the help of Celta Vigo and LaLiga Southern Africa Managing Director, Marcos Pelegrin, 67 Celta Vigor youngsters were invited for a private coaching clinic with LaLiga coaches during the first LaLiga Camps coaching clinics held in South Africa in Johannesburg in August, in partnership with international youth football tournament IBERCUP.
The Celta Vigor youngsters were exposed to coaching by LaLiga UEFA Pro Licenced coaches Toni Alvarez and Luis Martinez, as Dlamini’s LaLiga dreams came even closer to reality.
“The session with the LaLiga coaches was very good. Those coaches know their story, they know how to deal with kids and their training sessions were excellent. It was a really good programme and after the session the boys are very motivated,” says Dlamini.
Pelegrin was delighted that the Celta Vigor youngsters could have their own private session with the LaLiga coaches.
“The Celta Vigor story is a heartwarming one and it’s quite touching to see their love for Celta Vigo and the passion Themba has for football and for his community. We are extremely happy we could assist the boys to participate in the session at the first LaLiga Camps in South Africa and will do all we can to ensure we strengthen the club’s blossoming relationship with Celta Vigo,” says Pelegrin.
For 40-year-old Dlamni, his dream is to one day visit the Celta Vigo club that has consumed more than half his life over the last 20 years.
And to also meet Benni McCarthy.
“It would be lovely to meet Benni. He made us to be where we are today,” says Dlamini.
