Mashoor Shereef, the man, is from the football-loving district of Malappuram. Mashoor, the professional footballer, however, was made in Chennai.
Having grown up with football all around him, in school and at the grounds in the district, Mashoor's passion for the sport is deep-rooted. In his own words, his neighbourhood breathed football and that played a role in generating a desire in him to keep playing up to his college days.
He spent time with his friends at Manchester United Kavungal, a local team that played Sevens football close to his home. There, he discussed and played the sport while coming to terms with how addictive it can really become when the passion kicks in.