Kevin Amaro arrived at Genk with numbers that top Hakimi's, and now sets his sights on the national team under Forlán

There's one detail Kevin Amaro saved for the end of the conversation, and it says a lot about how he landed in Belgium: on his first day at Genk, they showed him his physical numbers, and in some categories, they were above the Belgian league average, and even above Achraf Hakimi's. That's no small thing for a 22 year old Uruguayan who, just a few weeks ago, was practically unknown outside of Montevideo.

Amaro, who came up through Liverpool of Uruguay's academy, was transferred to Belgium's Genk in mid August, and this week he looked back on his move to European soccer on La Mañana del Fútbol (El Espectador Deportes). He said he already had a base level of English that made the transition easier and that, even though he's still taking classes, he felt at home almost right away. "I felt really comfortable from the first days. I have a lot of confidence in myself. I keep feeling better as the days go by, I've already gotten to play, and that's the first step to finding your rhythm," he explained.

Before getting into Belgium, the player wanted to make clear what Liverpool meant to his development. He joined the club at 15 or 16 years old and that's where he became a professional. "Liverpool was my home. It is my home, I arrived there at 15, 16 years old, and they always welcomed me warmly," he recalled, naming Mario Carballo and Gustavo Ferrín, his first coaches in the youth ranks, as the people who first gave him the green light to stay.

A fullback built to attack

At Genk, they see him as an attacking piece. Amaro can play as a fullback, wingback, midfielder or right winger, and the Belgian coach has already defined his role: use his speed and power down the flank. On the style of the league, he was quite descriptive: "Belgian soccer has a lot of intensity, teams like to attack, sometimes too much for my taste. But physically they're in great shape and you can feel the high tempo." He also picked up on something interesting tactically: since teams don't pack as many players behind the ball, there's more room for one on one situations, because opponents tend to stick to their man instead of rotating.

The move to Belgium wasn't a coincidence, nor just an offer that fell out of the sky. Amaro was clear about it: the priority was always Europe. "I had talked with my agents and the priority was to play in Europe, because that's where I was going to be able to grow, and if I want to be in the national team I need to be in the best leagues," he said. He added that he was specifically looking for a mid tier league, as a springboard, that would let him adapt gradually. That's what Genk offered him.

What he took from Bielsa

Amaro was one of 20 players who made their debut with Uruguay's senior national team during Marcelo Bielsa's cycle, who managed the Celeste from May 2023 to June 2026. He played three matches in 2025 under him: against Chile on the final matchday of World Cup qualifying, and in the October friendlies against the Dominican Republic and Uzbekistan.

Speaking about that guidance, he was grateful and specific: "Bielsa has helped me a lot. I've talked with him a lot and he's advised and guided me on what I should improve, and what I should keep leaning into, especially my physical strengths." The coach never brought up his weight, something that often comes up with other players. What he asked of him was something else: to play freely, without extra pressure, the way he did at Liverpool.

The one adjustment Bielsa did insist on was defensive. Amaro is an aggressive defender, and at times that aggressiveness led him to overrun his man. "It's good to have the will to mark, but ease off a bit more when you're marking, because that's going to help you win more duels," Bielsa would tell him, according to the player's own recollection, who also had to adjust tactically when it came to defending.

With Diego Forlán now in charge of the Celeste, Amaro left the door open without demanding anything: "I'll always be ready and eager to be in the national team (...) I'm ready, and whenever he needs me, I'll be at his disposal."