JOSEPH SHIKOKOTI ‘‘AFRICA’S VERY OWN FOOTBALL GOLIATH”

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Any time people talk about very tall athletics, what come to mind are the Basketball players who are famously known and remembered for their height due to the nature of the game. But come to think of it, football also has “GIANTS”. Height in football influence the game playing key roles in especially defending as well as attacking which is fairly linked to set-pieces.

Across the world there have been names who are popularly known due to the admirations for their height, Examples of such names are Peter Crouch i2.01m (6ft 7in) a former Liverpool, Tottenham hotspurs and Stoke city striker is one of the most notable names in football and remember for his powerful header goals and overhead kicks. Per Mertesacker 1.98m (6ft 6in) former Arsenal legend and world cup winner , Andy Carroll (6ft 4in) West Ham United, Costil pantilimon 2.03m (6ft 7.9in) Nottingham Forest, Jan

Koller 2.02m (6ft 7.5in) former Anderlecht, Borussia Dortmund and Monaco player  as well as others were noted for their height ,strong physique and heading ability. Simon Bloch Jorgensen is undoubtly the tallest player in football with a surprising height of (6ft 101/2in) 2.10m wow!     

We also have giant Africans with the notable one of all Lacina Traore (6ft 8in) 2.03m of Monaco, Christopher Samba (6ft 4in) 1.94m.

All these names mentioned above are all players who play outside African soil and are well known. Well here in Africa where names of locals are not that recognized due to the poor state of some of our various football leagues still see the continents produce great players who later turn up in the top-fight leagues in the world. JOSEPH SHIKOKOTI is


Definitely a name that is popular in the Kenya football diaspora and some part in Tanzania. There is no argument that the 6ft 7in (2.01m) man is the tallest defender in Africa. The Kenyan international who currently plays for NAIROBI STIMA FC in the nation’s capital won his first cap for Kenya against Zimbabwe featuring 11 times for the Kenya national team in their 2010 and 2104 FIFA world cup qualifiers.

Joseph was born in Mombasa, Kenya where he started his senior carrier in TUSKER FC July 2006 where he spent 8yrs winning three leagues titles, Kenya super cup, the CECAFA CLUB CHAMPIONSIP.

He has captained the tusker side on several occasions, SHIKOKOTI also spent 2yrs loan spell with Tanzania based side YOUNG AFRICANS. The giant defender ended his 8yr spell with tusker fc to join fierce rivals AFC LEOPARD in 2014 for a club record fee of ksh 700,000 on the 01st of January 2014. He left AFC LEOPARD in June 2015 on a free transfer to join Nairobi based club USHURU FC but part ways with the “TAX MEN” in a bid to get more playing time and now a free player. Just as many defenders Shikokoti moves up front whenever there is a set-piece of any kind and remarkably scores most of his goals with header which is definetly not surprising. 

Joseph’s 6ft 7inches height gives him massive authority over his oponents whether on and off the ball which especially gives opponents coaches some headache when it comes to aerial balls anytime the face him.

Former AZAM FC and Tanzania forward GAUDENCE XAVERY NKWAIKIMBA 6ft 3 (1.89m) is one of the tallest player based in Africa. Aside football another popular name known for his height was Sudanese-born American MANUATE BOL 7ft 7in (2.31m) was the tallest player in the history of National Basketball Association along with GHEORGHE MURESAN 7FT 6 3\4in (2.305m) who featured in the Guinness Books of World Records.


With these listed names above there is no doubt that Africans indeed have produced and still producing giants in the world of sports and JOSEPH SHIKOKOTI is truly one of Africa’s special gift.

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