The defender further explained why she considers the Al Duhail SC striker as her role model
Harambee Starlets captain Dorcas Shikobe has revealed what she shares with Kenya international Michael Olunga.
The Thika Queens defender said the Al Duhail striker is her role model and explained the character traits she shares with the former Kashiwa Reysol centre-forward.
"My role model in football has to be [Michael] Olunga, his passion and self-discipline is something we both share and we don’t let anything hinder our dreams," Shikobe told the Football Kenya Federation website on Wednesday.
Shikobe first earned national team call-ups while she was still in high school, but had to wait until 2015 when she was able to retain a spot in the final squad and went ahead to make her debut against Uganda's Crested Cranes.
She was part of the side that won the Cecafa Women's Championship trophy unbeaten in Tanzania in 2019 and this, according to her, is the second most memorable moment in her career after making her national team debut.
"Clinching the 2019 Cecafa Senior Women's Championship title marks the highlight of my career as it came right after I had just come from going through possibly the worst moment of my career, losing to Zambia in the Olympic qualifier," she added.
"However, as a leader, I steered my team to make a comeback from that setback, and I must say, we really put in our all in that tournament, maintaining a clean sheet from the beginning right to the end of the tournament."
The defender encouraged footballers to focus on a fruitful career path.
"The journey will never be easy, there will be a lot of self-sacrifices and self-discipline involved, but if they are really passionate, the fruits, in the end, will make the struggle worth the time," she said.
After the Cecafa triumph, Shikombe was among the Harambee Starlets who secured moves, especially to European clubs. Although Esse Akida was not part of the group that won the regional tournament, she signed with Turkey's Besiktas around the time most players got their new deals.
Corazon Aquino signed for Portuguese side Atletico Ourense, Annette Kundu and Ruth Ingosi got Lakatamia FC deals in Cyprus, while Mary Kinuthia and Elizabeth Katungwa were signed by Swedish team IF Djurgardens. Cynthia Shilwatso joined Spanish club EDF Logrono and Lilly Awuor went to Germany to play for Borussia Pankow.