Former Kaizer Chiefs defender Aden McCarthy will now be playing in this season’s UEFA Champions League.
The young defender’s new club, Sabah FK, secured their place in the Champions League league phase after beating Hapoel Be’er Sheva 6-4 on aggregate.
Sabah won the second leg 5-2 after extra time on Tuesday, with McCarthy coming off the bench in the 91st minute as his side completed a dramatic comeback.
The result means McCarthy is set to become the only South African player in this season’s Champions League.
Former Kaizer Chiefs star to taste UEFA CL
Shandre Campbell would have been another South African involved in the competition after playing for Club Brugge, but he recently joined Kortrijk.
McCarthy left Kaizer Chiefs in June after progressing through the club’s youth academy. Before his departure, the defender had established himself as an important member of the Amakhosi defence.
He played a key role as Chiefs finished third in the Betway Premiership last season, earning regular starts and gaining valuable experience at senior level.
Now, just months after leaving Naturena, McCarthy has the opportunity to test himself on European football’s biggest club stage.
The 22-year-old will be hoping to make his mark when Sabah begin their Champions League campaign.
He is not the only former Kaizer Chiefs star to play in UEFA competition. Ex-Amakhosi defender Siyabonga Ngezana has featured two seasons in the Europa League for his Romanian side FCSB, which he joined in 2023 from Chiefs.