The Argentinian coach resides in Mallorca with his wife, the Mallorcan Elisa Montero, and their two children. Neighbours and acquaintances describe him as an educated, discreet person who is fully integrated into the island.
Lionel Scaloni, the man who has taken the Argentinian national team to the World Cup final this Sunday, lives more than 10,000 kilometres from Buenos Aires. His home, for many years, has been in Mallorca, where he leads a surprisingly quiet life with his wife, the Mallorcan Elisa Montero, and their two children, Ian and Noah.
Those who knew him during his playing days in Spain define him as a person “elegant and very serious, both on and off the field”. He was never the most media-savvy in the locker room nor someone interested in the social life of professional football, and that impression remains today.
A neighbour in Bunyola and Calvià
Local media place his usual residence in Bunyola, a quiet and exclusive residential area in the interior of Mallorca, where the family enjoys privacy. He also maintains a close connection with Calvià, on the southwest coast, where he spends long periods of rest and holidays.
Several residents of the area describe him as an extremely polite and approachable person. “He is a normal neighbour, we love having him here,” they tell Vanitatis. Another highlights that “he always greets, he is always correct and it’s a pleasure to have him around”. Despite leading one of the most important national teams in the world, those who live alongside him assure that he leads a life completely integrated into the island.
From Pujato to Mallorca: a love story
Born on May 16, 1978, in Pujato, a small town in Santa Fe, Scaloni arrived in Spain at a very young age. It was during his time in Mallorca that he met Elisa Montero, with whom he started a family. The story between them contrasts sharply with the speed of modern times: Scaloni himself has recounted that it took him months to get the phone number of the woman who would become his wife. There were no social networks or instant messages, just persistence, patience, and discreet meetings.
Today they have two children, Ian and Noah, who have grown up on the island and lead a life away from media attention. Those who follow Argentinian news are often surprised to discover that the man who leads one of the most followed national teams in the world lives in Mallorca and shares concerns very similar to those of any father.
Traffic accident and passion for cycling
Away from the spotlight, one of Scaloni's great passions is cycling. Whenever his commitments allow, he rides the roads of Mallorca on his bike. In 2019, he suffered an accident when he was hit while training near Palma, an episode that caused concern in Argentina and highlighted how much he maintains a daily life very far removed from the privileges that usually surround sports stars. “I live in Spain, I have a Spanish family, but on Sunday, I’m sorry, we will try to beat them,” he said after qualifying for the final.
Mallorca is his home, but Argentina still occupies a central place. Every time he returns to Pujato, he is welcomed as one of their own. There, he is not the national coach, but Lionel, the boy who left the village to chase a dream and who has never completely left.
You may also like
