Manuel Pellegrini comes from a large Chilean family with strong connections to engineering, business and education. The Real Betis coach is married to civil engineer Carmen Gloria “Carola” Pucci and has three adult sons. He was the fifth of eight children born to Emilio Pellegrini Portales and Silvia Ripamonti Barros.
Who is Manuel Pellegrini’s wife?
Manuel Pellegrini’s wife is Carmen Gloria Pucci, better known as Carola Pucci. The couple have been married for more than four decades and share three sons.
Carola is a civil engineer, meaning she and her husband studied the same profession. Pellegrini completed his civil-engineering degree while playing professional football for Universidad de Chile, which later produced his famous nickname, “The Engineer.”
Carola developed her own professional career in Chile’s energy industry. She worked for several years at Metrogas and later became a director of Gasco, reportedly becoming the first woman appointed to the company’s board in approximately six decades.
How did Manuel Pellegrini and Carola Pucci manage life apart?
Pellegrini’s international coaching career required the couple to spend considerable time in different countries. While he worked in Argentina, Ecuador and Europe, Carola and their children often maintained their main home in Chile.
The arrangement allowed their sons to have greater educational and family stability, although Pellegrini acknowledged that the separation was difficult. Carola and the children travelled regularly to visit him, while the coach returned to Chile whenever his football schedule allowed.
Carola eventually spent more time living with her husband in Europe, including during his period as Manchester City manager. She has continued accompanying him during important professional and family occasions.
How many children does Manuel Pellegrini have?
Manuel Pellegrini and Carola Pucci have three adult sons. Later Chilean family profiles identify them as Manuel, Juan Ignacio and Nicolás Pellegrini Pucci.
Manuel Pellegrini Pucci
Manuel Pellegrini Pucci pursued a career in medicine rather than professional football. He specializes in traumatology and orthopedics and has worked in Chilean football, including with the medical staff of Audax Italiano.
Although he followed a different professional path, his work in sports medicine maintained a connection between the younger Manuel and the football environment in which his father built his career.
Juan Ignacio Pellegrini Pucci
Juan Ignacio has collaborated directly with his father on football-related projects. He helped create Engineering Football, a digital platform designed to organize and present Manuel Pellegrini’s training methods, tactical ideas and coaching experiences.
Juan Ignacio married María José Llompart in Chile in 2009. Pellegrini travelled from Spain during an international break to attend the ceremony while he was coaching Real Madrid.
Nicolás Pellegrini Pucci
Nicolás is the most private of Pellegrini’s three sons. He has appeared in reporting about the wider family but has not maintained a significant public profile.
Reliable publications provide little information about his profession and personal life, so those details should be treated as private.
Who were Manuel Pellegrini’s parents?
Manuel Pellegrini’s parents were Emilio Pellegrini Portales and Silvia Ripamonti Barros. They raised eight children in Santiago, with Manuel being the fifth.
Emilio Pellegrini Portales
Pellegrini’s father, Emilio, worked in the construction sector and valued professional and financial stability. He initially worried that football would not provide his son with a secure career.
Emilio encouraged Manuel to complete his civil-engineering studies rather than depend entirely on football. Pellegrini followed that advice and graduated from the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile in 1979 while continuing his playing career.
Although Emilio initially viewed coaching as an uncertain profession, he supported his son and became proud of the career Manuel eventually created. He died in April 2013, when Pellegrini was managing Málaga.
Silvia Ripamonti Barros
Manuel’s mother was Silvia Ripamonti Barros. She affectionately called her son “Manú” and remembered his interest in football developing from a remarkably young age.
Silvia supported Manuel even when the family was uncertain about football as a long-term profession. She died at the age of 91 in July 2013, only a few months after her husband. Pellegrini temporarily left Manchester City’s preseason preparations to return to Santiago and be with her.
Does Manuel Pellegrini have siblings?
Yes. Manuel Pellegrini was the fifth of eight children, meaning he grew up with seven siblings. Not every sibling has maintained a public profile, but several have been identified in Chilean reporting.
Pablo Pellegrini
Pablo Pellegrini is one of Manuel’s younger brothers and the sibling to whom he has reportedly been particularly close. Pablo trained as an architect and became involved in construction and public affairs.
He has frequently discussed his brother’s determination and the sacrifices required to build an international coaching career. Pablo and his family have also gathered to watch Manuel’s most important matches and celebrate his achievements.
Pedro Pellegrini
Pedro Pellegrini is another of Manuel’s brothers. He spoke publicly when Manuel was appointed Real Madrid coach, explaining that the family had been proud of him long before he received one of football’s most prestigious jobs.
Emilio Pellegrini Ripamonti
Emilio Pellegrini Ripamonti, named after their father, is an engineer and businessman. He has held senior roles in Chile’s energy sector, including serving as chairman of electricity company Colbún.
Silvia Pellegrini Ripamonti
Silvia Pellegrini Ripamonti is a prominent Chilean journalist and academic. She has been associated with the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile for decades, serving as a professor, researcher and dean in its Faculty of Communications.
The names and careers of Manuel’s remaining siblings are not as consistently documented by reliable public sources.
What is Manuel Pellegrini’s family background?
Pellegrini was born in Santiago, Chile, on September 16, 1953. His paternal family has Italian roots, reflected in the Pellegrini surname, while the Ripamonti side is also associated with Chile’s Italian-descended community.
Education and professional achievement were strongly emphasized in the household. Several members of the family became engineers, academics, architects or business executives.
This environment influenced Pellegrini’s disciplined approach to football. His engineering education became an important part of his public identity and helped create the methodical reputation associated with his coaching career.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Manuel Pellegrini’s wife?
Manuel Pellegrini is married to Chilean civil engineer Carmen Gloria “Carola” Pucci.
How many children does Manuel Pellegrini have?
He has three adult sons, identified in later family reporting as Manuel, Juan Ignacio and Nicolás Pellegrini Pucci.
Is Manuel Pellegrini’s son involved in football?
Two of his sons have professional connections to football. Manuel works in sports medicine, while Juan Ignacio collaborated with his father on the Engineering Football project.
Who were Manuel Pellegrini’s parents?
His parents were construction businessman Emilio Pellegrini Portales and Silvia Ripamonti Barros.
How many siblings does Manuel Pellegrini have?
Pellegrini grew up with seven siblings. Publicly identified siblings include Pablo, Pedro, Emilio and Silvia Pellegrini.
Why is Manuel Pellegrini called “The Engineer”?
He earned a civil-engineering degree from the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile while playing professional football, leading to his nickname “El Ingeniero.”
Laurinda Jocias is a football writer covering English women’s football, including the Women’s Super League. Her work focuses on players, clubs, and the continued development of the women’s game in the UK.
