Last Updated on October 2, 2026 by Miguel Manjate
Tomás Chancalay’s family has played an important role in the Argentine footballer’s journey from the small city of Viale in Entre Ríos to Major League Soccer. Born Tomás Alejandro Chancalay on January 1, 1999, he began playing football at only three years old and later joined Colón’s youth system, where the sacrifices made by his mother and grandfather became a major part of his development.
Chancalay is now married and has two children. Although he has publicly spoken about his wife and children, he has generally protected their privacy and has not widely publicized his wife’s name. His daughter Mar was born in July 2024, while his older child is a son. Chancalay’s mother is Maricel, also spelled Marisel in some Argentine reports, and his maternal grandfather Orlando Chiardola was another crucial figure in his childhood. Reliable information about his father’s name and possible siblings remains limited.
Who Is Tomás Chancalay’s Wife?
Tomás Chancalay is married, although his wife has maintained a considerably lower public profile than the Minnesota United winger.
Chancalay regularly refers to her as his wife in interviews and social-media posts but has not made her name a central part of his public football profile. Argentine and American reports discussing the family have similarly referred to her simply as his wife rather than publishing extensive personal information about her.
The couple have been together for several important stages of Chancalay’s career, including his years with Racing Club, his move to Al-Wasl in the United Arab Emirates, his time with New England Revolution and his subsequent transfer to Minnesota United.
Is Tomás Chancalay Married?
Yes. Tomás Chancalay is married.
In a February 2026 interview with Argentine television network TN, Chancalay spoke directly about his family life in the United States and said that he lives with his wife and two children.
He explained that although Argentina will always have a special place in his heart, his family appreciates the stability and peaceful lifestyle they have found while he plays in Major League Soccer.
His wife has also been present during difficult moments of his career, particularly when Chancalay suffered a serious knee injury while playing for New England Revolution in 2024.
Does Tomás Chancalay Have Children?
Yes. Tomás Chancalay has two publicly confirmed children.
His first child is a son whose name Chancalay has not widely publicized in established sports media. His second child is a daughter named Mar, who was born on July 4, 2024.
Chancalay has frequently made it clear that his children and wife are among the most important people in his life.
Tomás Chancalay’s Son
Tomás Chancalay was already a father during his time with Racing Club.
In August 2022, after scoring against Banfield, Chancalay chose not to celebrate his goal in the usual way. When asked about the decision after the match, he explained that he wanted to dedicate the goal to his wife and son because they were always by his side.
The statement provided one of the earliest clear public confirmations that Chancalay had become a father.
His son’s name has not been consistently published by reliable football sources, so it is better to respect that privacy rather than rely on unverified social-media information.
Tomás Chancalay’s Daughter – Mar
Tomás Chancalay’s daughter is named Mar.
She was born on July 4, 2024, during Chancalay’s time with New England Revolution.
Her arrival came during an emotionally intense period for the Argentine winger. Only a few days after celebrating Mar’s birth, Chancalay was dealing with a serious knee injury that required a lengthy rehabilitation.
In a message discussing the injury, he described Mar’s birth as one of the happiest moments of his life and thanked his wife and children for supporting him while he faced one of the most difficult moments of his career.
How Many Children Does Tomás Chancalay Have?
Tomás Chancalay has two publicly confirmed children: an older son and a daughter named Mar.
Chancalay personally confirmed in February 2026 that he had a wife and two children while discussing his family’s life in the United States.
Although some social-media-related reports have created uncertainty about the exact size of the household, Chancalay’s own recent interview provides the strongest evidence and identifies him as a father of two.
Who Are Tomás Chancalay’s Parents?
Tomás Chancalay was raised in Viale, Entre Ríos, Argentina. His mother, Maricel, played an especially important role in making his early football career possible.
Reliable reporting also confirms that Chancalay’s father played amateur football, although his father’s name has not been consistently documented by established sports publications.
Football was therefore already part of the family before Tomás became a professional player.
Tomás Chancalay’s Mother – Maricel
Tomás Chancalay’s mother is named Maricel, with some Argentine reports spelling her name Marisel.
She worked as a psychiatrist and made major sacrifices to help her son pursue football from a very young age.
When Chancalay was around eight or nine years old, Colón identified his potential while he was playing in Viale. The problem was the distance between his hometown and Santa Fe, where Colón trained.
Maricel therefore shared the responsibility of transporting the young player to training while also balancing her professional work.
Chancalay attended school in the afternoon, so his family arranged for him to travel to Santa Fe for morning training before returning home in time for classes.
How Tomás Chancalay’s Mother Helped His Soccer Career
Maricel’s involvement went far beyond simply encouraging her son to play football.
During Chancalay’s childhood, she and his grandfather regularly made the long journey from Viale to Santa Fe so that Tomás could train with Colón.
Those journeys happened several times a week and required careful planning because the family wanted Chancalay to pursue football without neglecting his education.
When his training schedule became more demanding, the family eventually moved closer to Santa Fe. Chancalay spent a period living in Paraná before later staying in Santa Fe as he progressed through Colón’s academy.
After scoring one of his first professional goals in 2017, Chancalay’s mother was in the stadium and spoke emotionally about watching her son achieve something the family had worked toward for years.
Tomás Chancalay’s Father
The name of Tomás Chancalay’s father has not been consistently published by reliable sports sources.
However, Argentine newspaper Clarín reported that his father also played football at amateur level.
While Chancalay’s grandfather played primarily as a central midfielder, his father played as a number nine, or center-forward.
This means Tomás grew up with football connections on multiple generations of his family even before becoming a professional player himself.
Chancalay has also spoken collectively about the sacrifices made by his parents and grandparents, crediting them with allowing him to pursue his dream.
Tomás Chancalay’s Grandfather – Orlando Chiardola
One of the most influential people in Tomás Chancalay’s childhood was his grandfather, Orlando Chiardola.
Chancalay’s grandfather played amateur football as a central midfielder and later worked in the countryside.
When Tomás began training with Colón, Orlando regularly stopped his work to drive his grandson from Viale to Santa Fe.
The journey was significant for a young child, but Orlando and Maricel continued making it because Colón’s coaches believed Chancalay had unusual ability.
The commitment eventually paid off when Tomás progressed through the academy, became a professional and later represented Argentina at U20 level.
How Tomás Chancalay’s Grandfather Supported Him
Orlando Chiardola was instrumental in solving one of the biggest problems of Chancalay’s early career: transportation.
Viale is a considerable distance from Santa Fe, and Chancalay was still in primary school when Colón wanted him to attend regular training sessions.
His grandfather drove him to Santa Fe in the morning and then returned him to Viale so he could attend school in the afternoon.
Chancalay later described the years of travel involving his parents and grandparents as something the entire family experienced together.
When he made his professional breakthrough, he said that his achievements belonged partly to them because they had lived through the sacrifices alongside him.
Does Tomás Chancalay Have Siblings?
There is currently no reliable public information identifying brothers or sisters of Tomás Chancalay.
Interviews about his childhood regularly discuss his mother, father and grandparents but do not provide confirmed names for siblings.
This does not necessarily mean that Chancalay is an only child. It simply means that no brother or sister can currently be identified confidently from established public sources.
Tomás Chancalay’s Family Background in Viale
Tomás Chancalay was born and raised in Viale, a city in Entre Ríos Province, Argentina.
He began playing football when he was around three years old at Arsenal de Viale. His natural ability quickly became noticeable, and by approximately eight years old he had attracted the attention of Colón.
Moving into Colón’s youth system required considerable sacrifices because the club was based in Santa Fe while Chancalay and his family remained in Viale.
His mother and grandfather made those early years possible by arranging the regular journeys between the two cities.
Tomás Chancalay Played at the Santiago Bernabéu as a Child
Chancalay’s talent became obvious well before his professional debut.
As a young Colón academy player, he was part of a team that won a national youth tournament and earned the opportunity to represent Argentina at an international competition in Spain.
The tournament was played at Real Madrid’s Santiago Bernabéu stadium, giving Chancalay an extraordinary experience before he had even reached his teenage years.
The achievement reinforced his family’s belief that the long journeys and sacrifices were worthwhile.
Tomás Chancalay’s Family Moved for His Football Career
As Chancalay grew older, training with Colón became more frequent and traveling constantly from Viale was no longer practical.
His family therefore made another major sacrifice by moving closer to Santa Fe.
Chancalay initially lived in Paraná, allowing him to travel more easily to training. He later moved to Santa Fe and eventually stayed in Colón’s residential setup as he moved closer to professional football.
Looking back on those years, Chancalay has repeatedly emphasized that his professional career was not simply an individual achievement but something his family built with him.
Tomás Chancalay’s Wife and Son During His Racing Career
By the time Chancalay joined Racing Club in 2021, he had begun building a family of his own.
In a 2026 interview looking back on his career, Chancalay recalled that when Racing offered him the opportunity to move from Colón, he packed his belongings and moved to Buenos Aires with his wife and son.
His family therefore accompanied him during one of the biggest early transfers of his professional career.
In 2022, he publicly dedicated a Racing goal to his wife and son, describing them as people who remained by his side through difficult moments.
Tomás Chancalay’s Family During His Knee Injury
Family support became especially important in 2024 when Chancalay suffered a major knee injury with New England Revolution.
The injury occurred only days after the birth of his daughter Mar.
Chancalay thanked his mother for remaining with him throughout the difficult day and said his wife and children supported him from home.
He described his family as the most important people in his life and used their support as motivation during the rehabilitation process.
The injury kept him out for an extended period, but Chancalay eventually returned to professional action with New England.
Tomás Chancalay’s Family Life in the United States
Chancalay has spoken positively about the lifestyle his family has experienced since his move to Major League Soccer.
He joined New England Revolution in 2023 and later made the transfer permanent. The family spent more than two years in the New England area before another MLS move took them to Minnesota.
In February 2026, Chancalay said that he, his wife and their two children were enjoying the stability they had found in the United States.
He explained that Argentina would always remain home emotionally, but the organization, infrastructure and tranquility surrounding life in MLS had provided his family with an attractive environment.
Tomás Chancalay’s Move to Minnesota United
Minnesota United acquired Tomás Chancalay from New England Revolution ahead of the 2026 MLS season.
The Loons completed a cash-for-player trade and signed the Argentine attacker through the 2027-28 season, with a club option for the 2028-29 season.
The move gave Chancalay another opportunity to establish his family in a new American city after their years in Massachusetts.
Minnesota United uses him primarily as a winger and attacking player, with Chancalay wearing number 8 for the club.
Who Is in Tomás Chancalay’s Family?
Tomás Chancalay is married and has two publicly confirmed children. His oldest child is a son whose name has remained private in reliable sports reporting, while his daughter Mar was born on July 4, 2024.
His mother is Maricel, also spelled Marisel in some reports. She worked as a psychiatrist and made major sacrifices to help Tomás attend Colón training while he was still a child.
His maternal grandfather, Orlando Chiardola, was another crucial figure in his development and regularly drove him from Viale to Santa Fe. Chancalay’s father also played amateur football, although his name has not been reliably established publicly.
As of now, reliable sources do not identify any brothers or sisters. Chancalay continues to balance his career with Minnesota United with life as a husband and father of two.
Frequently Asked Questions About Tomás Chancalay’s Family
Who is Tomás Chancalay’s wife?
Tomás Chancalay is married and regularly refers publicly to his wife, but her name has not been consistently disclosed by reliable sports sources. She has accompanied him through several stages of his career and they have two children together.
Is Tomás Chancalay married?
Yes. Tomás Chancalay is married. He confirmed in a 2026 interview that he lives with his wife and two children.
Does Tomás Chancalay have children?
Yes. Tomás Chancalay has two publicly confirmed children: an older son and a daughter named Mar.
Who is Tomás Chancalay’s daughter?
Tomás Chancalay’s daughter is named Mar. She was born on July 4, 2024, while Chancalay was playing for New England Revolution.
Does Tomás Chancalay have a son?
Yes. Chancalay has an older son. His son was already born by August 2022, when the footballer dedicated a Racing Club goal to his wife and son.
Who are Tomás Chancalay’s parents?
Tomás Chancalay’s mother is Maricel, also spelled Marisel in some reports. His father has not been reliably named in established sports reporting, although he is known to have played amateur football.
Who is Tomás Chancalay’s mother?
Tomás Chancalay’s mother is Maricel. She worked as a psychiatrist and regularly helped transport her son from Viale to Santa Fe so that he could train with Colón while continuing his education.
Who is Tomás Chancalay’s father?
The name of Tomás Chancalay’s father has not been consistently published by reliable sources. Argentine reporting states that he played amateur football as a center-forward.
Who is Tomás Chancalay’s grandfather?
Tomás Chancalay’s grandfather is Orlando Chiardola. He played amateur football as a central midfielder and was instrumental in taking young Tomás to Colón training sessions in Santa Fe.
Does Tomás Chancalay have siblings?
No brothers or sisters of Tomás Chancalay have been reliably identified in established public sources.
Where is Tomás Chancalay from?
Tomás Chancalay is from Viale in Entre Ríos Province, Argentina. He was born there on January 1, 1999.
What is Tomás Chancalay’s full name?
His full name is Tomás Alejandro Chancalay.
What team does Tomás Chancalay play for?
Tomás Chancalay plays for Minnesota United FC in Major League Soccer. Minnesota acquired him from New England Revolution ahead of the 2026 season and signed him through the 2027-28 season, with a club option for 2028-29.
Miguel Manjate is a football journalist and editor covering the Premier League, European competitions, and transfer news, with a strong focus on match analysis and data-driven reporting.
