Last Updated on September 25, 2026 by Siara Costa
Alejandro Bedoya is an American professional soccer player who has spent a significant part of his career with Philadelphia Union in Major League Soccer. Born on April 29, 1987, in Englewood, New Jersey, Bedoya grew up in Weston, Florida, in a Colombian-American family with deep connections to football.
Soccer runs through several generations of the Bedoya family. Alejandro’s father, Adriano Bedoya, and grandfather Fabio both played the game at a high level, while his younger brother Santiago also pursued competitive soccer. Away from the field, Alejandro is married to Beatrice “Bea” Hilland, and the couple have two children, Santino and Milena.
Who Is Alejandro Bedoya’s Wife?
Alejandro Bedoya is married to Beatrice “Bea” Hilland. She is Norwegian and has a professional background in athletic training and fitness.
Bedoya and Hilland were together long before his lengthy career with Philadelphia Union. In 2016, Sports Illustrated featured the couple together and described Hilland as a professional athletic trainer who had worked with athletes in Europe and Scandinavia.
Their relationship developed during a period when Bedoya’s football career took him through several European countries, including Sweden, Scotland and France.
Bea has remained an important part of Bedoya’s life as his career continued in the United States. In a 2025 interview, Alejandro described his wife and their two children as his biggest supporters.
Bedoya has also publicly acknowledged the responsibilities Bea takes on at home during the long stretches when his professional schedule requires him to travel for matches.
Who Is Beatrice Hilland?
Beatrice Hilland is originally from Norway and has a background in fitness and athletic performance.
Her understanding of professional sport has complemented Bedoya’s career. The couple previously shared fitness advice and stories from their lives together through Sports Illustrated, providing an unusual glimpse into their relationship before they became more private about family life.
Hilland has also pursued entrepreneurial interests. Bedoya publicly supported her involvement in a family-focused travel brand, describing her as his wife while praising her entrepreneurial work.
Despite her connection to a prominent professional footballer, Bea has generally maintained a considerably lower public profile than her husband.
Alejandro Bedoya’s Children
Alejandro Bedoya and Beatrice Hilland have two children: a son named Santino and a daughter named Milena.
Bedoya frequently discusses fatherhood when talking about his life away from soccer. As his career has progressed, spending time with his children has become increasingly important to him.
He has described enjoying ordinary parenting activities such as taking his children to soccer and dance activities and picking them up from school whenever his professional schedule allows.
Santino Bedoya
Santino Bedoya is Alejandro and Beatrice’s eldest child.
Santino was born on March 20, 2015, while Alejandro was playing professionally for FC Nantes in France. Nantes publicly celebrated the birth and announced that Alejandro and Beatrice had welcomed a baby boy named Santino.
As he has grown older, Santino has occasionally appeared alongside his father around Philadelphia Union matches and events.
Alejandro has also spoken about taking his son to soccer, allowing him to experience the sport that has been so important across several generations of the Bedoya family.
Milena Bedoya
Milena Bedoya is Alejandro and Beatrice’s daughter and their younger child.
Milena has also occasionally been seen supporting her father around Philadelphia Union games, but Alejandro and Bea generally avoid making detailed information about their children a major part of their public profiles.
In a 2025 interview, Bedoya discussed balancing professional soccer with being an active father to Santino and Milena, emphasizing that spending time with them has become particularly important later in his playing career.
Who Are Alejandro Bedoya’s Parents?
Alejandro Bedoya’s parents are Adriano Bedoya and Julieta Bedoya.
Both parents are of Colombian origin, giving Alejandro strong personal connections to Colombia despite being born in the United States.
The family initially lived in the New York and New Jersey area before moving to Weston, Florida, where Alejandro spent much of his childhood and developed as a young soccer player.
Alejandro has remained proud of his Colombian roots throughout his career. He speaks Spanish and has discussed maintaining family connections in Colombia, particularly around Bogotá and Medellín.
Alejandro Bedoya’s Father: Adriano Bedoya
Adriano Bedoya is Alejandro Bedoya’s father and one of the biggest football influences in the family.
Adriano played soccer professionally in Colombia, including with Millonarios, one of the country’s historically prominent clubs.
He later attended Fairleigh Dickinson University in the United States and played college soccer there from 1981 to 1984. His performances earned him a place in the university’s athletic history, and he was later inducted into the Hall of Fame as part of Fairleigh Dickinson’s 1983 team.
Adriano’s football background meant that Alejandro grew up in a household where soccer was already an important part of everyday life.
Alejandro has said he began playing almost as soon as he could walk, reflecting how naturally the sport became part of his childhood.
Alejandro Bedoya’s Mother: Julieta Bedoya
Alejandro Bedoya’s mother is Julieta Bedoya.
Fairleigh Dickinson University officially identified Alejandro as the son of Adriano and Julieta during his college career.
Julieta has generally stayed away from the public spotlight compared with her husband and son. Consequently, considerably less information about her professional life is available.
She has nevertheless been publicly seen supporting Alejandro during some of the most important moments of his career, including his involvement with the United States national team.
During the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, Alejandro’s family traveled to support him as he represented the United States on football’s biggest international stage.
Alejandro Bedoya’s Siblings
Alejandro Bedoya has two publicly documented siblings: Santiago Bedoya and Marcela Bedoya.
Fairleigh Dickinson’s official biography from Alejandro’s college career directly lists Santiago and Marcela as his siblings.
Like Alejandro, Santiago pursued soccer competitively, while Marcela became publicly visible during coverage of the family supporting Alejandro at the 2014 World Cup.
Santiago Bedoya
Santiago Bedoya is Alejandro Bedoya’s younger brother and also pursued a high-level soccer career.
Santiago attended Northeastern University, where he played as a defender for four seasons.
During his college career, he made 76 appearances and earned All-Colonial Athletic Association recognition.
In January 2011, Vancouver Whitecaps selected Santiago with the 37th overall pick in the MLS Supplemental Draft.
He participated in Vancouver’s preseason before the club eventually released him ahead of the MLS campaign.
Santiago’s own accomplishments demonstrate how deeply soccer was embedded within the Bedoya household rather than being limited solely to Alejandro.
Marcela Bedoya
Marcela Bedoya is Alejandro Bedoya’s sister.
Marcela received wider public attention during the 2014 FIFA World Cup when CBS Miami interviewed members of the Bedoya family before they traveled to Brazil to support Alejandro and the United States.
She spoke enthusiastically about watching her brother fulfill his dream of competing at the World Cup.
Unlike Alejandro and Santiago, Marcela did not become publicly known primarily through a professional soccer career and has maintained a more private life.
Alejandro Bedoya’s Grandfather: Fabio
Alejandro Bedoya’s grandfather Fabio was another footballer in the family.
He played professionally in Colombia for Deportes Quindío, meaning Alejandro grew up as part of at least the third generation of his family to have a strong connection with competitive soccer.
Fabio remained passionate about Colombian football even after Alejandro became a United States international.
When the United States faced Colombia, reporting about the Bedoya family described the mixture of loyalties created by Alejandro representing the country of his birth against the country of his family’s heritage.
The Bedoya Family’s Colombian Roots
Although Alejandro was born in New Jersey and represented the United States internationally, his Colombian heritage has always been an important part of his identity.
Both of his parents came from Colombia, and he grew up speaking Spanish and experiencing Colombian traditions at home.
Bedoya has publicly expressed pride in his heritage and has maintained relatives in Colombia.
The family’s connection to Colombian football is particularly strong because both his father and grandfather played there professionally.
How Alejandro Bedoya’s Family Influenced His Soccer Career
Alejandro grew up surrounded by people who understood soccer at a high level.
His father had played professionally and in college, his grandfather had been a professional player in Colombia, and his brother Santiago later pursued the sport through college and into the MLS draft system.
This environment meant Alejandro did not have to look outside his own family to find examples of players who had taken soccer seriously.
He began playing from an extremely young age and eventually became one of Florida’s standout youth players before continuing his career at Fairleigh Dickinson and Boston College.
Alejandro Bedoya’s Family and the 2014 World Cup
The 2014 FIFA World Cup became one of the most memorable moments for the Bedoya family.
Alejandro was selected for the United States squad and started all four matches as the Americans reached the Round of 16 in Brazil.
His family traveled to Brazil to support him, including his parents and sister Marcela.
For a family with Colombian roots and several generations of soccer players, watching Alejandro compete at a World Cup represented a particularly significant milestone.
Alejandro Bedoya as a Father
As Alejandro has moved into the later stages of his professional career, fatherhood has become increasingly central to his life away from soccer.
He has explained that his business interests and plans beyond playing are partly designed to give him more flexibility to spend time with Santino and Milena.
Bedoya enjoys being involved in their daily routines, from school pickups to extracurricular activities.
He has also emphasized the importance of Bea’s role at home, particularly because professional soccer involves regular travel and long periods away from family.
Alejandro Bedoya’s Family Life in Philadelphia
Philadelphia became an important home for the Bedoya family after Alejandro joined the Union in 2016.
His long stay with the club provided a degree of stability after the years he spent playing across Sweden, Scotland and France.
The family has become closely connected with the Philadelphia community while Alejandro has taken on roles extending beyond playing, including work in player development and the Union’s front office.
In January 2026, Philadelphia Union signed Bedoya to another contract, allowing him to enter an 11th season with the club while continuing his developmental and front-office responsibilities.
Frequently Asked Questions About Alejandro Bedoya’s Family
Who is Alejandro Bedoya’s wife?
Alejandro Bedoya is married to Beatrice “Bea” Hilland, a Norwegian-born professional athletic trainer.
How many children does Alejandro Bedoya have?
Alejandro Bedoya and Bea Hilland have two children, Santino and Milena.
Who is Alejandro Bedoya’s son?
Alejandro Bedoya’s son is Santino Bedoya, who was born in March 2015 while his father was playing for FC Nantes in France.
Does Alejandro Bedoya have a daughter?
Yes. Alejandro Bedoya and Bea Hilland have a daughter named Milena.
Who are Alejandro Bedoya’s parents?
Alejandro Bedoya’s parents are Adriano and Julieta Bedoya. Both have Colombian roots.
Was Alejandro Bedoya’s father a footballer?
Yes. Adriano Bedoya played soccer professionally in Colombia and later played college soccer for Fairleigh Dickinson University.
Does Alejandro Bedoya have siblings?
Yes. Alejandro Bedoya has two publicly documented siblings, Santiago and Marcela Bedoya.
Who is Santiago Bedoya?
Santiago Bedoya is Alejandro’s younger brother. He played college soccer at Northeastern University and was selected by Vancouver Whitecaps in the 2011 MLS Supplemental Draft.
Who is Marcela Bedoya?
Marcela Bedoya is Alejandro’s sister. She has largely remained outside professional sports but has publicly supported her brother at major international events.
Is Alejandro Bedoya Colombian?
Bedoya was born in the United States and represented the United States national team, but both of his parents are Colombian and he has always maintained a strong connection to his Colombian heritage.
Does soccer run in Alejandro Bedoya’s family?
Yes. His father Adriano and grandfather Fabio played the sport competitively, while his brother Santiago also reached a high level and was selected in the MLS Supplemental Draft.
Where does Alejandro Bedoya play now?
As of now, Alejandro Bedoya remains with Philadelphia Union. He signed a new contract for the 2026 season while also continuing his work in player development and front-office initiatives.
Siara Costa is a football editor and writer covering both European men’s and women’s football, with a focus on league competitions, match coverage, and in-depth storytelling.
