A youth international for Chile, Escalona played for Colo-Colo, Torino, Benfica, River Plate and Grêmio, but was mostly linked to Everton de Viña del Mar, representing them on three spells.
[5] However, in a season that saw three managers pass through Benfica, Escalona could never gain his place, battling with the youngster Diogo Luís and the Paraguayan Rojas for the position and playing just nine league matches.
[10][11] On 30 July 2001, Escalona signed a one-year deal with River Plate,[12] but played just one league game under Manuel Pellegrini.
[13] Released by River Plate, he returned to Chile in January 2003, joining Everton de Viña del Mar in the second tier.
[20] After not competing in 2008, he moved to San Luis Quillota in 2009, where he helped them win promotion from the second tier in the first year and played 24 matches in the 2010 Primera División campaign that ended with relegation.