With the exponential increase in attention that Inter Miami has received since Lionel Messi joined, also comes the additional need for security.
Messi fans are numerous, relentless, and persistent, and thus Inter Miami has been forced to increase its staffing both on matchdays and during training.
With crazed fans attempting to get as close as possible to Messi – even taking it to extreme extents – the club has to provide him a safe workplace environment.
Messi has dealt with this for years, especially in his home country of Argentina where fans hail him as something of a god, but his arrival in the United States has given his new club a new challenge to embrace. Given the significant Argentine population in Miami, where an estimated third of all Argentine imports live in the USA, security has seen a necessary increase.
MORE: Odds for Lionel Messi to score a goal in his next match
Who is Lionel Messi’s bodyguard at Inter Miami?
The most noticeable addition to Inter Miami’s security team is a guard specifically assigned to follow Messi up and down the sideline while the Argentine is on the pitch. The individual is, according to La Nacion, an ex-U.S. Navy Seal named Yassine Cheuko.
Cheuko has been affectionately dubbed by Messi fans as “De Paul’s brother,” which is a reference to Argentine midfielder Rodrigo de Paul who has come to Messi’s defense on more than one occasion on the pitch.
👮♂️🇦🇷 During Inter Miami matches, Leo Messi is followed by an ex-US Navy Seal for maximum security.
The bodyguard is a martial arts, boxer and taekwondo expert. He can be seen even following him during matches. pic.twitter.com/Gl8n1UzHXV
— EuroFoot (@eurofootcom) August 24, 2023
Cheuko has also been seen alongside or behind Messi while he is not on the field, from roaming the touchline to in the tunnel to the dressing room.
MORE: Tracking all of Messi’s shirt swaps with Inter Miami as he favors Argentine opponents
How much security has Inter Miami added?
Inter Miami has added significant security to its grounds outside of simply following Messi around.
They have beefed up personnel during matchdays across DRV PNK Stadium, and added additional security during training at the club’s facilities as well. These individuals are noticeable during matches in Ft. Lauderdale in the parking lot and around the complex.
This comes after a pitch invader made it onto the field during Inter Miami’s 4-0 home win over Atlanta United, just Messi’s second match with the club. It appeared the individual was headed straight for Messi as he subbed off the field, entering the pitch on the opposite end and reaching two-thirds of the way across the width of the field before being stopped by security.
Inter Miami also added additional fencing to its stadium and training facility, to keep prying eyes away and make it more difficult for fans to scale the barrier.
⚠️ Nuevas Medidas de Seguridad!
Inter Miami is taking new security measures and extending the fences outside of Drv Pnk Stadium with a higher and curved bar.
Fences were fairly climbable and jumpable before. Won’t be as easy soon.#InterMiamiCF #Messi𓃵 pic.twitter.com/fcsYxIiCnp
— Franco Panizo (@FrancoPanizo) August 4, 2023
Other MLS teams have also been forced to increase security whenever Inter Miami comes to town. The New York Red Bulls, for example, told reporters that the club was working with Inter Miami’s team to collaborate on security measures for Messi’s MLS debut on August 26, including adding pitchside security.
Red Bulls general manager Marc de Grandpre said that overall security was increased by 25 percent and pitchside security was beefed up by 50 percent for the match.
