Hollywood’s heavy hitters attending Sunday’s Inter Miami-LAFC Major League Soccer match got more than they bargained for thanks to Lionel Messi.
The World Cup soccer star had a pair of assists in the 3-1 win by Inter Miami, but his bodyguard is getting the headlines after taking down a rogue fan on the pitch.
In the middle of the match, a fan wearing a Messi Barcelona jersey ran onto the field and approached the 36-year-old star, according to The Spun.
Stadium security didn’t get to the fan in time but Messi’s bodyguard did and pulled him away, almost strangling him until help arrived.
Inter Miami hired a personal bodyguard for Messi once he arrived in the States.
The man hired for the job is Yassine Chueko and he’s a former Navy SEAL who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to The Spun.
Oh, and he’s also a former MMA fighter.
Chueko and Messi put on quite a show for those in attendance at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, per The Spun.
Among the A-listers checking out Messi were Lakers All-Star LeBron James, Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw, “Ted Lasso” star Jason Sudeikis, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
But wait, there’s more.
The Daily Mail noted that LAFC co-owner Will Ferrell, and actors Leonardo DiCaprio, Selena Gomez, Owen Wilson, Mario Lopez and Edward Norton were on hand Sunday night.
The official attendance Sunday was 22,921, which is a record for LAFC’s BMO Stadium.
With Messi on board, Inter Miami is unbeaten in its last 11 matches.
Messi has 11 goals and eight assists for Miami, which is eight points out of a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference with eight regular season matches remaining.
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