Lionel Messi’s bodyguard, Yassine Cheuko, has been banned from all technical areas for the remainder of the 2025 Leagues Cup following a post-match incident after Inter Miami’s opening game against Club Atlas on July 30.
The controversy erupted at the final whistle when Cheuko was seen pushing and shoving members of the Atlas squad in an apparent effort to shield the Inter Miami players amidst a conflict between clubs.
The incident, widely circulated on social media, drew sharp criticism and led to disciplinary action from tournament organizers.
Messi’s bodyguard banned from the rest of the Leagues Cup
Leagues Cup announced today the ban after Yassine Cheuko entered restricted areas without proper credentials following the July 30 match vs. Club Atlas.#leaguescup #soccer #intermiami #atlas pic.twitter.com/Wauu9P523O— MARCA in English (@MARCAinENGLISH) August 2, 2025
Lionel Messi bodyguard banned by Leagues Cup
In an official statement, the Leagues Cup disciplinary committee confirmed that Cheuko entered a restricted area — the playing field — without proper event credentials, a violation of the tournament’s access protocols.
“Following the July 30 match between Inter Miami CF and Club Atlas, a member of the Inter Miami delegation displayed inappropriate conduct by entering restricted areas without official event credentials,” the statement read.
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“In accordance with the 2025 Leagues Cup regulations, the disciplinary committee has suspended the individual from all technical areas for the remainder of the tournament and issued an undisclosed fine to Inter Miami.”
While the amount of the fine was not disclosed, Inter Miami was penalized for allowing Cheuko access to restricted zones without proper accreditation.
The club has already enforced internal restrictions on Cheuko’s presence around the pitch, as he is no longer allowed to enter the pitch during Major League Soccer games despite doing so during the first year of Messi's arrival.
♂️ 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
