Everything About Nico Estévez’s Personal Life—Wife, Children, Family & More originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Nicolás “Nico” Estévez Martínez is the man in charge of the MLS All-Stars tonight but his journey to this moment started years ago in Valencia, Spain.
Born on January 29, 1980, Estévez got into coaching early and built his career across Spain and the U.S. He’s worked with Valencia CF, Columbus Crew, the U.S. men’s national team and now Austin FC. But beyond the CV he’s also a husband, a dad and someone who puts family above all else.
A Supportive Home Life
Nico is married to his long time partner Amparo. She’s been by his side through multiple cities, jobs and countries. The couple have two kids together, Sandra who’s 14 and loves dance and Nicolás Jr. or “Nico” who’s 11 and plays youth soccer. The whole family moved from Spain to the U.S. in 2014.
Coaching at the top level isn’t easy and Nico has spoken openly about how his family helps him stay grounded.
Quick Facts About Nico Estévez
Wife: Amparo
Kids: Sandra (14, dancer) and Nico Jr. (11, soccer player)
Languages: Spanish, Catalán, English
Support System: His wife, kids and parents
Bringing Family Values Into Coaching
That sense of family shows up in Nico’s coaching too. When he first moved to the U.S. then Columbus Crew coach Gregg Berhalter and his family helped Nico and his family settle in. That kind of support left a mark, and Nico’s carried it forward.
Whether it’s building team culture or connecting with players one-on-one Nico is calm, approachable and focused on the group, not just the game.
His Coaching Style
Nico doesn’t lock his teams into one formation. He teaches principles, how to move, how to create space, how to react. His teams are organized but flexible.
He expects a lot from his players tactically but he puts just as much into building trust, communication and community. He’s calm and focused on emotional balance in a high pressure job.
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 24, 2025, where it first appeared.