Former Navy SEAL Yassine Cheuko, who famously shielded Inter Miami’s star, says U.S. pitch invasions are worse than Europe as league takes over protection duties
Lionel Messi will no longer have his trusted personal bodyguard watching over him from the touchline during Inter Miami matches after Major League Soccer enforced new security protocols. Yassine Cheuko, the former Navy SEAL who became famous for his laser-focused protection of the Argentine superstar, has been restricted to locker room and media zone access only.
The decision comes after viral social media clips showed Cheuko’s intense pitchside vigilance, where he routinely intercepted would-be pitch invaders before they could reach Messi. “They don’t allow me to be on the field anymore,” a frustrated Cheuko told Spanish media, contrasting the rampant pitch invasion problem in U.S. soccer with his European experience.
“In seven years working Ligue 1 and Champions League matches, we had just six pitch invaders,” said the security specialist. “Here in America? Sixteen in less than two years. There’s clearly a problem – let me do my job protecting Messi.”
MLS officials have now assumed full control of matchday security, removing private bodyguards from technical areas. The move follows increasing concerns about player safety across North American stadiums, where fans have repeatedly broken through barriers to approach Messi since his blockbuster move to Miami.
While Cheuko will still accompany Messi in restricted areas, his absence from the sidelines marks the end of an era for one of soccer’s most visible security details – and raises questions about whether league security can match his preventative approach. For now, Inter Miami and MLS must prove they can keep the world’s most famous player safe without their most dedicated guardian.
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