- Yassine Chueko was brought in as Lionel Messi’s bodyguard by David Beckham
- He previously went viral for tackling a pitch invader who tried to get to Messi
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Lionel Messi’s bodyguard Yassine Chueko was finally beaten by a pitch-invading fan on Sunday after taking a tumble in an effort to stop the supporter from reaching him.
Chueko, a former US soldier, has previously gone viral for protecting Messi from fans during the Inter Miami star’s matches, stalking the touchline during Major League Soccer games.
The bodyguard, who came to Miami from Paris after protecting Messi at PSG, was called into action in April last year after spotting a fan running from behind one of the goals towards the football legend.
Thanks to a considerable head start, the supporter reached Messi and appeared to try and take a selfie with him, before being promptly tackled by Chueko as stadium security also swarmed.
The incident went viral on social media, showing off the lengths Chueko goes to in order to keep Messi from potential danger.
But the bodyguard was resoundly beaten by a pitch invader on Sunday during Inter Miami’s 3-1 win over Panama outfit Sporting San Miguelito.
Lionel Messi’s bodyguard Yassine Chueko has finally been beaten by a pitch-invading fan
Chueko (right) is an ex-Navy Seal who served in Iraq and Afghanistan and now protects Messi
After taking a tumble, the bodyguard quickly leapt back up to force the fan away from Messi
He previously went viral after tackling a supporter during an Inter Miami game in April last year
In footage unveiled on social media, the bodyguard can be seen sprinting towards the fan as he attempts to get close to Messi.
Despite appearing to intercept the supporter before he reaches the Argentine, Chueko takes a tumble after being caught off guard by the fan slipping.
As the supporter loses his footing, he makes contact with Chueko’s legs and spins him onto his back on the floor.
The incident allowed him a brief moment to hug Messi before Chueko leapt back to his feet and ripped him away, appearing to smile subtly at his unfortunate tumble.
Chueko is a former Navy Seal who served in Iraq and Afghanistan.
He also has expertise in martial arts, taekwondo, boxing and participated in several MMA fights.
Chueko was reportedly specifically brought on board by Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham to protect their star player.
The decision to hire Chueko came amid a rising number of pitch invaders in recent years, while Messi attracted an unbelievable amount of hype and attention with his move to Miami in 2023.
