Mohammed Shaleel, a 22-year-old football enthusiast from Deralakatte, has made his hometown proud by entering the Guinness World Records for the fastest 20-cone slalom dribbling of a football, completing the feat in just 11.94 seconds.
Currently working in the construction field in Al Jubail, Saudi Arabia, Shaleel’s passion for football has driven him to global recognition. The record-breaking attempt, which involves maneuvering a soccer ball in a zigzag pattern through 20 cones spaced 50 cm apart, was made in June 2023 and officially recognized on April 28, 2024.
“Though I am not a professional footballer, I have always been deeply passionate about the sport and wanted to contribute to it in some way,” Shaleel said. “It was this drive that led me to explore football-related records and train for them with dedication.”
This isn’t Shaleel’s first brush with world records. In 2022, while still a student, he earned a place in the Guinness Book of Records for executing the fastest nutmeg in 30 seconds, showcasing his agility and technical prowess.
The young record-holder is the son of RB Abdul Hameed and Mumtaz Panemangalore. He has nurtured a deep love for football for over a decade, drawing inspiration from icons like Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, and Sunil Chhetri.
“The journey was wonderful so far. It is all about dedicated practice and achieving a milestone. This is my second record, and I’ve decided not to stop here,” he shared. “I am trying to set more records in other countries as well. For this one, I trained continuously for three months.”
Shaleel dreams of meeting his football idol Cristiano Ronaldo someday and hopes his story inspires other youth to pursue their passions relentlessly—no matter where they come from or what their profession may be.
