YASSINE CHEUKO: “MESSI DOESN’T JUST SEE ME AS A BODYGUARD; HE ALSO SEES ME AS A FRIEND.”
In the world of football, Lionel Messi has millions of fans.
Yet, only a select few are by his side during his most ordinary moments—leaving the pitch, getting into a car, arriving at training, traveling, or simply sitting down for a meal.
Yassine Cheuko is one of those people.
To the public, Cheuko is known as the imposing figure who stays in close proximity to Messi, ready to spring into action the moment a fan gets too close to the Argentine superstar.
But by Cheuko’s own account, the relationship between him and Messi goes beyond the standard dynamic of bodyguard and client.
It is also a friendship.
Cheuko has shared that Messi does not view him merely as a protector. The two talk, laugh, and have come to understand each other’s personalities. Cheuko also mentioned that Messi often invites him to lunch and treats him very well.
Behind the stoic, professional exterior seen at the stadium lies a very different story.
THE MAN WHO ALWAYS FOLLOWS MESSI
Cheuko has been responsible for Messi’s security since his days at Paris Saint-Germain. When Messi moved to Inter Miami in 2023, Cheuko continued to appear alongside the Argentine superstar.
Since then, he has become a familiar face to MLS fans.
Messi runs on the pitch.
Cheuko runs along the sideline.
Messi leaves the pitch.
Cheuko appears instantly.
Messi enters a public area.
Cheuko scans the surroundings.
He has become, in effect, Messi’s shadow.
Yet, the job involves far more than simply trailing a celebrity.
Messi is one of the most recognizable athletes on the planet. A single moment of lost focus could allow an overzealous fan to get too close to him. Cheuko rose to fame after repeatedly intervening when fans rushed onto the pitch to approach Messi. It was his swift reactions that caused videos of him to go viral on social media.
BUT BEYOND THE PROTECTIVE ARM LIES A BOND BUILT ON TRUST
There is one crucial element in the job of protecting a celebrity:
Trust.
You cannot effectively protect someone if they do not trust you.
And according to Cheuko, the trust between him and Messi has grown far beyond a mere professional relationship.
Cheuko has said that he feels like part of Messi’s family, striving to protect him not just physically, but emotionally as well.
That is a remarkable statement.
Because protecting a player like Messi means more than just stopping strangers from getting too close.
It also means creating a safe space where Messi can live as normal a life as possible amidst the world’s intense scrutiny.
MESSI — A MAN WHO NEVER CHANGED HOW HE TREATS OTHERS
One of the things that makes this story so beautiful is the way Cheuko describes Messi.
Not as a distant superstar.
Not as someone who views his bodyguard merely as an employee.
But as someone who sits down to lunch, chats, laughs, and treats the person protecting him with kindness.
It might seem like a small detail.
But sometimes, it is the little things that reveal the most about a person’s character.
Messi has reached virtually every peak a player can attain.
The Ballon d’Or.
The World Cup.
The Champions League.
Records.
Hundreds of millions of fans. Yet, in his everyday life, he still needs people he can trust.
And Cheuko seems to have become one of them.
THE STORY OF THE BALLON D’OR
Cheuko once recounted a special memory from after Messi won his eighth Ballon d’Or.
According to Cheuko, while they were on the plane, Messi handed him the Ballon d’Or to hold. Messi then joked to his family that Cheuko was the “winner of the Ballon d’Or for the world’s best bodyguard.”
For Cheuko, it was a moment he would never forget.
Just imagine it.
One of the most prestigious individual trophies in football history resting in the hands of someone who isn’t a player.
And Messi didn’t just hand it to him.
He turned the moment into an intimate joke shared between people who knew each other well enough to tease one another freely.
That is the kind of moment unlikely to occur if the relationship were purely professional.
A PROTECTOR WHO GUARDS MORE THAN JUST A BODY
Cheuko’s work is often viewed through moments of action.
An intruder runs onto the pitch.
Cheuko immediately rushes over.
A fan approaches Messi.
Cheuko appears.
An incident occurs.
He instantly positions himself between Messi and the danger.
But perhaps what matters most lies in the moments the cameras don’t capture.
When Messi steps out of his car.
When his family is on the move.
When they are dining.
When they are on vacation.
When Messi wants a few minutes of normalcy amidst a life constantly pursued by the media and fans.
In those moments, a good bodyguard isn’t someone who draws attention to themselves.
Rather, it is someone who makes the client feel safe—so safe that they almost forget they are being protected at all.
CHEUKO HAS ALSO BECOME A FAMOUS FIGURE
Interestingly, Cheuko started out simply as the man standing in the background behind Messi.
However, his constant presence and assertive protective style turned him into a social media sensation.
He boasts a large following and frequently appears in viral videos featuring Messi.
Yet, this visibility has also complicated his job.
In 2025, the MLS barred Cheuko from standing right by the touchline during Inter Miami matches as he previously had. Reuters reported that Cheuko objected to the decision, arguing that his presence helped prevent pitch invasions. The league subsequently stated that its security protocols remained intact, with security personnel deployed according to the team’s established system.
Nevertheless, Cheuko’s role alongside Messi remains a familiar part of the story of the Argentine superstar’s life in the United States.
PERHAPS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL MOMENTS AREN’T THE ONES WHERE HE RUSHES TOWARD FANS
Fans often remember Cheuko for the moments he sprints at full speed to stop supporters from reaching Messi.
But perhaps the most memorable moments are far simpler:
The two of them sitting and talking.
Sharing a laugh.
Sharing a meal.
With no need to even mention football.
Because, after all, Messi isn’t always “Lionel Messi”—the player who has won every trophy imaginable.
Sometimes, he is simply Leo.
A man who wants a normal life with his family and the people he trusts.
And Cheuko seems to understand that perfectly.
A FRIENDSHIP BUILT ON TRUST
Some relationships begin as professional arrangements but deepen over time. It is not because the two men are alike.
It is not because they share the same profession.
Rather, it is because they have shared enough moments together to build trust.
Cheuko has spent a great deal of time by Messi’s side in high-pressure environments.
He knows when to step forward.
When to hold back.
When to intervene.
And when to simply give Messi some space.
In return, Cheuko says that Messi treats him with respect and friendliness.
That is perhaps the most important foundation for a lasting relationship.
EVEN A SUPERSTAR NEEDS ORDINARY PEOPLE BY HIS SIDE
Lionel Messi may have millions of fans.
But the number of people truly by his side in his daily life is very small.
There is his family.
Close friends.
Teammates.
And those he trusts.
Yassine Cheuko seems to have become part of that inner circle.
Not because he is the strongest.
Not because he is famous.
But because his mission is to ensure Messi feels safe in a world where almost every step he takes is watched.
And perhaps Cheuko’s simplest statement is the most memorable one:
“Messi doesn’t just see me as a bodyguard. He sees me as a friend.”
Behind one of the greatest players in history are many people who help him lead a normal life.
Some care for his family.
Some support his work.
Some protect him.
But what is special is that, at times, relationships that begin as a professional duty can evolve into something deeper.
One person shields Messi from external dangers.
Yet, friendship and trust are likely what make both of them feel secure when they are together. And in a world that always views Messi as a legend, it is perhaps beautiful that there are still those who see him simply as Leo—a friend.
