Nobody runs up on Lionel Messi when his personal bodygaurd Yassine Cheuko is around. A video has gone viral from Sunday night’s game between Inter Miami and Los Angeles FC, showing a fan rush the field, sprinting to Messi. The fan was so fast he caught up to the soccer star and even started to wrap his arms around him, but his bodyguard, Cheuko, was there at the knick of time to grab him by the neck and pull him away.
Per CBS Sports, Inter Miami co-owner Jorge Mas vowed that security would be improved ahead of Messi’s arrival, which is why they appointed a personal bodyguard. So who is the bodyguard, and how much is he getting paid to protect the World Cup winner? Here’s everything you need to know.
Who is Cheuko?
Chueko was reportedly recommended by Inter Miami club president David Beckham. There were reports by outlets like Barstool Sports, La Nacion and the New York Post that Chueko, was a former US Navy SEAL who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, but DailyMail shut down the reports, saying current and former members said no one they knew had heard of him, and his name did not appear in a database of SEAL veterans they had access to. What we do know is tha the is a former MMA fighter. He was reportedly born in 1989, is around 34 years old, an American of Muslim origin, stands at 5 feet 10 inches and weighs around 188.2 pounds, per Distin. He is very private with his personal life, and little is known about his upbringing . He does however have siblings, he’s posted videos training with his older and younger brother in the past.
His duties
La Nacion reports that Cheuko not only protects Messi on the field but also off the field. The bodyguard leads a team of 50 people that oversees the safety of the Argentine’s family, including his wife, Antonella Roccuzzo, and their children, Thiago, Mateo, and Ciro, during their day-to-day activities in Miami.
How much does he get paid?
There are conflicting reports on how much the bodyguard gets paid. Some reports suggest his salary is around $250,000 other reports suggest it’s actually upwards of $3 - $3.5 million. Considering he’s providing round-the-clock protection, it’s likely the higher end of the scale.
His skills and accolades
As you can see by Cheuko’s chokehold, he is a skilled MMA fighter, and even used to compete. He is reportedly proficient in taekwondo and boxing. His Instagram page is filled with photos of his competitions and videos of his impressive fitness training. According to his Instagram, he spent 2020-2022 training in Thailand.
