Kaku Profile, Stats and Career
Argentine-born Paraguayan playmaker at Al Ain — AFC Champions League winner, 7-assist UAE season, and a creative veteran heading to his first FIFA World Cup.
By
Muhammad Asad
Published June 2026Kaku is a 31-year-old Paraguayan attacking midfielder playing for Al Ain FC in the UAE Pro League. Argentine-born but representing Paraguay at international level since 2018, he is one of the squad's most experienced creative midfielders — a player who has competed in Argentina, MLS, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE across a career built on technical vision and assist-making ability. This profile covers his age, career path, international record, and role in Paraguay's 2026 World Cup squad.
Born Alejandro Sebastián Romero Gamarra in Ciudadela, Buenos Aires, Kaku developed through Huracán's youth academy and made his professional debut in 2013. After six seasons including Argentina's top flight and MLS at New York Red Bulls, he moved to Saudi Arabia's Al Taawoun before Al Ain signed him in 2023. In the 2025–26 UAE Pro League season he recorded 4 goals and 7 assists with a 7.67 FotMob average rating — among the best of any midfielder in the competition.
Quick Answer
Alejandro Sebastián Romero Gamarra, known as Kaku, is a professional attacking midfielder born on 11 January 1995 in Ciudadela, Buenos Aires, Argentina. He plays for Al Ain FC in the UAE Pro League and has represented Paraguay since 2018. Kaku has 33+ caps for Paraguay and scored 3 goals across the 2022 and 2026 World Cup qualifying cycles. He won the AFC Champions League Elite with Al Ain in 2025.
Early Life and Background
Kaku was born on 11 January 1995 in Ciudadela, a municipality in the Greater Buenos Aires area. He grew up in Argentina and was educated entirely in the Argentine football system, joining Huracán's youth academy and working through their development structure before making his senior debut in 2013.
His Argentine football career at Huracán spanned 2013 to 2017 — 109 appearances, 10 goals, and 13 assists — including the club's 2014 Copa Argentina and 2014 Supercopa Argentina victories. His left-footed creativity and vision made him one of the more distinctive attacking midfielders to emerge from Buenos Aires during that period.
MLS, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE
New York Red Bulls signed Kaku in February 2018 for a reported $6 million — one of MLS's notable acquisitions that window. He spent three seasons in New York, recording 87 appearances and establishing himself as one of the Eastern Conference's most creative players before Al Taawoun in Saudi Arabia signed him in 2021.
Al Ain signed him in 2023 and he has been central to one of the UAE Pro League's most ambitious clubs. In the 2025–26 season he recorded 4 goals and 7 assists across 14+ appearances with a 7.67 FotMob average — ranking highly on assists and overall rating among central midfielders in the competition. Al Ain won the AFC Champions League Elite in 2025 — the premier Asian club competition — adding a continental title to his career.
Kaku Personal Info and Profile
| Full name | Alejandro Sebastián Romero Gamarra |
|---|---|
| Date of birth | 11 January 1995 |
| Age | 31 |
| Place of birth | Ciudadela, Buenos Aires, Argentina |
| Nationality | Paraguay |
| Nickname | Kaku |
| Height | 5 ft 7 in / 1.71 m |
| Weight | ~148 lbs / 67 kg |
| Position | Attacking Midfielder / Winger |
| Preferred foot | Left |
| Current club | Al Ain FC |
| Jersey number | 10 |
Kaku's left-footedness and creative vision give Paraguay's midfield an alternative attacking dimension to the right-footed profiles of Almirón and Diego Gómez. His ability to deliver assists from wide and central positions, create in tight spaces, and execute technically under pressure reflects the Argentine academy education that shaped his game.
Transfer News and Market Value
Kaku is contracted to Al Ain FC in the UAE. His market value is estimated at approximately €5.5 million, reflecting his age and his continued high-level production in the Asian continental competition. No European or South American transfer interest has been publicly reported ahead of the World Cup.
His previous most significant transfer was the New York Red Bulls deal in 2018 at approximately $6 million. The subsequent Al Taawoun and Al Ain moves maintained his professional trajectory in lucrative Gulf football markets.
Al Ain's AFC Champions League Elite 2025 victory — the club's first Asian continental title — was the highlight of his Al Ain tenure and a continental achievement that adds to his career portfolio beyond domestic competition.
Post-World Cup, Kaku's contract situation at Al Ain and any potential interest from other UAE, Saudi, or South American clubs will shape his next move. At 31, he is approaching the phase of his career where maximising the financial security of his remaining peak years becomes a priority.
Salary and Net Worth
Kaku's salary at Al Ain is estimated between $150,000 and $250,000 per month, consistent with an experienced international attacking midfielder at a UAE Pro League top club. Gulf football wages are competitive by global standards.
His New York Red Bulls salary peaked at approximately $2–3 million annually during his best MLS seasons as a Designated Player.
Al Taawoun in Saudi Arabia (2021–23) likely paid comparable Gulf football wages — estimated at $100,000–200,000 per month.
Total career earnings are estimated at approximately $15–20 million USD across Argentina, MLS, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE.
The AFC Champions League Elite 2025 victory with Al Ain included performance bonuses on top of his base salary.
Paraguay's FIFA World Cup prize pool distribution supplements his club salary during the tournament. His 33+ caps make him one of the more experienced recipients of international tournament payments in the squad.
Estimated net worth is approximately $8–12 million USD, reflecting sustained high-salary Gulf football employment across five seasons combined with earlier MLS earnings.
Kaku Club Career
Kaku made his professional debut at Huracán in 2013 and spent four seasons establishing himself as one of Argentina's more creative attacking midfielders before the New York Red Bulls investment in 2018. His 109 Huracán appearances and two domestic trophies gave him a strong foundation before the MLS chapter.
At New York Red Bulls (2018–21), he made 87 appearances and contributed to one of MLS Eastern Conference's most competitive squads. His creativity from deep positions and ability to assist alongside playing the number 10 role made him a fan favourite in New York despite the club's failure to win the MLS Cup during his tenure.
Al Taawoun in Saudi Arabia (2021–23) and then Al Ain in the UAE (2023–present) represent the financial peak of his career. At Al Ain he found a competitive structure that complemented his technical qualities — winning the AFC Champions League Elite in 2025 and recording his highest assist total in a single season (7 assists in 2025–26).
For Paraguay, he made his debut in 2018 — four years after first becoming eligible — and has appeared at Copa América 2019, 2021, 2024, and the 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign, where his 3 qualifying cycle goals and 2026 appearances confirmed his continued relevance to the national team setup.
Club Career Stats
| Period | Club | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013–2017 | Huracán | 109 | 10 |
| 2018–2021 | New York Red Bulls | 87 | 12 |
| 2021–2023 | Al Taawoun (Saudi Arabia) | 60+ | 8 |
| 2023–present | Al Ain (UAE) | 80+ | 14 |
2025–26 UAE Pro League (Al Ain)
| Apps | Goals | Assists | Avg Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14+ | 4 | 7 | 7.67 (FotMob) |
International Career
Kaku made his senior Paraguay debut in 2018 and has earned 33+ caps since, representing La Albirroja at Copa América 2019, 2021, and 2024. His international career has been one of consistent availability rather than starring individual performances — a reliable creative option who contributes assists and creative play without being the outright focal point.
His 3 goals across World Cup qualifying cycles (2022 and 2026 combined) reflect a midfielder who contributes scoring as well as creation. In the 2026 qualifying cycle, he appeared in matches where his technical quality provided an alternative dimension to the more explosive pace-based options in Paraguay's attacking unit.
At 31, the 2026 World Cup is likely Kaku's final FIFA World Cup. His role within Paraguay's squad is as a creative experienced option — a player whose left-footed technical quality and assist-making ability give coach Alfaro a different tactical tool when starting or rotating across the three Group D matches.
| National team | Caps | Goals | Tournament involvement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paraguay | 33+ | 3 | Copa América 2019, 2021, 2024; WC Qualifying 2022, 2026; 2026 FIFA World Cup |
Honours and Trophies
| Trophy | Times Won | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Copa Argentina | 1 | 2014 (Huracán) |
| Supercopa Argentina | 1 | 2014 (Huracán) |
| AFC Champions League Elite | 1 | 2025 (Al Ain) |
Playing Style and Key Strengths
Kaku is a technical left-footed attacking midfielder whose game is built on vision, creative passing, and assist-making from central and wide positions. His strongest quality is his ability to find teammates in tight spaces and deliver assists in high-pressure situations — reflected in his 7-assist 2025–26 UAE Pro League season.
His creative instincts and Argentine academy education give him tactical sophistication above the level of his physical attributes. At 5 ft 7 in he is not physically dominant, but his technical quality, reading of the game, and left-foot delivery are consistently effective at professional and international level.
AFC Champions League winner and veteran international
Kaku's 2025 AFC Champions League Elite victory with Al Ain — competing against the best clubs across Asia in a revamped continental competition — is a continental achievement that adds significant credibility to his career. Winning a major continental title at 30, in the highest-quality Asian club competition, reflects sustained high-level performance across the Gulf football market.
Frequently Asked Questions
Conclusion
Kaku's career from Ciudadela through Huracán, MLS, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE to Paraguay's 2026 World Cup squad is one of the more globally well-travelled in the squad. His Argentine football education, MLS experience, and continental Asian competition exposure have produced a creative midfielder who remains effective at 31.
The 2026 World Cup is likely his last FIFA tournament. His left-footed creative quality, assist record, and AFC Champions League-winning pedigree make him a valuable experienced option for coach Alfaro as Paraguay look to compete in Group D against the United States, Türkiye, and Australia.
