Lionel Messi has been responsible for constantly making headlines for a while, especially after winning the 2022 FIFA World Cup for his nation, Argentina.
After he triumphed over France during the epic finale, which dragged on to the penalties, Messi eventually left his former League team, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), to have a peaceful career at Inter Miami before his retirement.
His immense influence, which is only second to Cristiano Ronaldo in Football, has recently introduced another person to social media as videos related to his new bodyguard, Yassine Chueko, began spreading across Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube through fans and viewers alike.
Yassine Chueko is apparently hired by none other than Inter Miami’s co-owner and former England football legend, David Beckham, to ensure the safety of Messi both inside and outside of the pitch.
With a varied skill set and experience in martial arts like Boxing and Taekwondo, it’s no wonder he was chosen as the bodyguard of the football magician and seven-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi.
Explained: Who Is Yassine Chueko?
Yassine Chueko is a former soldier of the United States Army who served in Afghanistan and Iraq as a Navy Seal. He also maintains an active social media presence, regularly posting his training sessions on Instagram, which has over 140,000 followers.
With his identity as the bodyguard of Messi, who has 484 million followers, it is only a matter of time before he attains at least a million following. That being said, many fans of Messi have been reacting to Yassine’s extreme measures to ward off fans during his recent equalizer in a match.
As you can see from the videos shared above, Chueko was seen sprinting on the sidelines alongside Messi in almost every instance, even while the footballer was running after the ball on the field.
No wonder his dedication to his job and desire to ensure Messi’s safety has put him in the public’s attention.
Why Did Inter Miami Go to Such Lengths to Protect Messi?
Another interesting fact about Messi’s security is that he is not the only one guarding the Inter Miami star, but he heads fifty other security personnel who have only one mission: to ensure Messi plays and lives comfortably in Miami.
It goes without saying that Messi is the most valuable football player for Inter Miami as he leads them to back-to-back victories by scoring goals and assisting his teammates when needed. Moreover, his status as one of the most popular footballers puts him in a tough situation with both his fans and strangers.
So, it’s only natural that Inter Miami took such drastic measures to support the football legend’s transfer fully. The club’s co-owner, Jorge Mas, quoted on the need to beef up the security. In his own words,
“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 it was 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 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.”
Messi’s endeavors will continue to pile up as he leads his team to victory over and again as he resumes his Major League Soccer campaign with his final against Houston Dynamo FC on September 27, 2023. It would be interesting to see how Yassine Chueko continues his efforts to ensure the safety of the football star.
Have you been following Messi’s latest games?
What do you think about his bodyguard and Inter Miami’s treatment of their star player? Let us know what you think in the comment section below.