Yassine Cheuko, Lionel Messi’s bodyguard, shared a heartfelt moment after the Argentina captain won the 2023 Ballon d’Or.

Cheuko revealed that Messi called him the best bodyguard during a plane ride following the award ceremony, leaving a lasting impact on him.

Messi’s win came ahead of competitors Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe.

“Messi does not consider me only his bodyguard but also a friend. When he won the Ballon d’Or, we were on the plane and he told me, ‘Yassine Carry the Ballon d’Or in your hand!’ and I told him, ‘Okay…’ At first I thought he wanted me to carry it somewhere else,” Cheuko said (via @TheEuropeanLad on X).

“And then when I carried it, he said to his son and wife: ‘The winner of the Ballon d’Or for the best bodyguard is Yassin.’ It was a beautiful moment and words I will never forget from the best player in the world.

“I feel as if I am part of his family and I am trying hard to protect him not only from the physical side but also from the psychological side, because he trusts me a lot and depends on me and for my part I give all my focus to him. He is very humble.”