After being observed closely following Lionel Messi at Inter Miami, the mysterious man became popular on social media.
Lionel Messi has scored 10 goals in eight games this season in the United States. Messi’s summer transfer to Inter Miami has helped the club remain unbeaten in their previous eight games in Major League Soccer (MLS).
Furthermore, Messi was instrumental in leading the Herons to their first-ever Leagues Cup victory earlier this month. Apart from Messi, there is another figure attracting a lot of attention: the Argentine’s personal bodyguard, Yassine Chueko.
Inter Miami co-owner and great English footballer David Beckham, according to media reports, has engaged former soldier and MMA fighter Chueko to defend Messi.
Chueko has been observed by fans keeping a close check on Messi due to his tall presence and sturdy body. Chueko was spotted rushing along the touchline as Lionel Messi was on the field during a match against Cincinnati in a now-viral video.
During Inter Miami’s post-goal celebrations, Yassine Chueko was seen rushing along the sideline, closely following Lionel Messi.
Aside from the football field, Chueko was also caught shadow-marking Messi as he waited outside the entrance of Inter Miami’s squad bus before a game.
Chueko is well-versed in taekwondo and boxing, according to a Marca story. According to La Nacion, Chueko is a former US soldier, as reported by the Daily Mail.
Cheuko is said to have served in Iraq and Afghanistan and has a background in Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). Cheuko, a former Navy Seal with military expertise, was engaged by Beckham to defend Messi from on-field intruders.
Inter Miami co-owner Jorge Mas already emphasized the importance of beefing up Lionel Messi’s protection.
“Security will obviously be enhanced. Players will be bussed in, going through a tunnel. All of those security protocols are already prepared both for here and away.
And it’s not only for our games. It’s going to be an everyday occurrence and something we witnessed and I thought handled very well when (Messi) was here with Argentina before the World Cup. As you may recall, Argentina trained in Miami before they flew over to to Doha.
We had an opportunity to see some of the Messi mania at our doors on an everyday basis during practice. So, we’re very prepared. We’ve been getting ready for this,” Mas was quoted as saying by Miami Herald.
Returning to the field, Lionel Messi has been in superb form for Inter Miami. After leading the Herons to a memorable League Cup victory, Messi led Inter Miami to the Open Cup final earlier this week. The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner has yet to make his MLS debut.
