_01_(Jo%25C3%25A3o_Klauss).jpg) Klauss withSt. Louis City in 2025 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | João Klauss de Mello | ||
| Date of birth | (1997-03-01)1 March 1997 (age 28) | ||
| Place of birth | Criciúma, Brazil | ||
| Height | 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) | ||
| Position | Forward | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | LA Galaxy | ||
| Number | 99 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2006–2010 | Internacional | ||
| 2010–2011 | Juventude | ||
| 2011–2016 | Grêmio | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2017–2020 | TSG Hoffenheim II | 27 | (6) |
| 2018 | →HJK (loan) | 33 | (21) |
| 2019–2020 | →LASK (loan) | 42 | (15) |
| 2020–2022 | TSG Hoffenheim | 4 | (0) |
| 2021–2022 | →Standard Liège (loan) | 39 | (7) |
| 2022 | →Sint-Truiden (loan) | 8 | (2) |
| 2022 | St. Louis City 2 | 4 | (4) |
| 2023–2025 | St. Louis City | 79 | (25) |
| 2026– | LA Galaxy | 0 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 22 October 2025 | |||
João Klauss de Mello (born 1 March 1997), sometimes known as justKlauss, is a Brazilian professionalfootballer who plays as astriker forMajor League Soccer clubLA Galaxy.
João Klauss de Mello was born inCriciúma,Santa Catarina. He began his career withInternacional inPorto Alegre, joining the club at the age of nine. Klauss moved with his mother to Porto Alegre after his parents separated. Both parents supported his football career from early on. At the age of 13, he was released from Internacional's youth program and moved toJuventude inCaxias do Sul. After a year, he moved back to Porto Alegre and joined theGrêmio's youth academy.[1]
Klauss signed for his first European club in January 2017, when he moved toTSG Hoffenheim in Germany. He initially struggled with the cultural change. He played 17 matches and scored four goals forHoffenheim II in theRegionalliga Südwest.
He was loaned toHJK in March 2018.[2] On 8 April, he scored in his debut in theVeikkausliiga againstIlves.
On 8 January 2019, Klauss was loaned out toLASK until 30 June 2020.[3]On 31 January 2022, Klauss joinedSint-Truiden on loan.[4]
Klauss joinedMajor League Soccer sideSt. Louis City SC in July 2022, following his loan at Sint-Truiden. He was the club's firstdesignated player.[5]On February 25, 2023, the opening match of theMLS season, Klauss scored the final goal in a 3–2 victory overAustin FC, the first win in St. Louis's franchise history.[6]On June 14, 2025, Klauss scored the first hat trick in CITY SC club history in a home match against LA Galaxy.
Born in Brazil, Klauss is of German descent through his father, and Italian descent through his mother. He holds an Italian passport.[7][8]
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| TSG 1899 Hoffenheim II | 2016–17 | Regionalliga Südwest | 7 | 1 | – | – | – | 7 | 1 | |||
| 2017–18 | Regionalliga Südwest | 17 | 4 | – | – | – | 17 | 4 | ||||
| 2020–21 | Regionalliga Südwest | 3 | 1 | – | – | – | 3 | 1 | ||||
| Total | 27 | 6 | – | – | – | 27 | 6 | |||||
| HJK (loan) | 2018 | Veikkausliiga | 33 | 21 | 3 | 2 | 6[b] | 1 | – | 42 | 24 | |
| LASK (Loan) | 2018–19 | Austrian Bundesliga | 14 | 3 | 2 | 1 | – | – | 16 | 4 | ||
| 2019–20 | Austrian Bundesliga | 28 | 12 | 4 | 3 | 13[c] | 5 | – | 45 | 20 | ||
| Total | 42 | 15 | 6 | 4 | 13 | 5 | – | 61 | 24 | |||
| TSG Hoffenheim | 2020–21 | Bundesliga | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5[d] | 0 | – | 10 | 0 | |
| Standard Liège (loan) | 2020–21 | Belgian First Division A | 19 | 5 | 5 | 1 | – | – | 24 | 6 | ||
| 2021–22 | Belgian First Division A | 20 | 2 | 3 | 1 | – | – | 23 | 3 | |||
| Total | 39 | 7 | 8 | 2 | – | – | 47 | 9 | ||||
| Sint-Truiden (loan) | 2021–22 | Belgian First Division A | 8 | 2 | – | – | – | 8 | 2 | |||
| St. Louis City 2 | 2022 | MLS Next Pro | 4 | 4 | – | – | – | 4 | 4 | |||
| St. Louis City | 2023 | MLS | 19 | 10 | 0 | 0 | – | 2[e] | 0 | 21 | 10 | |
| 2024 | MLS | 27 | 5 | – | 2[f] | 0 | – | 29 | 5 | |||
| 2025 | MLS | 33 | 10 | 2[g] | 2 | – | – | 35 | 12 | |||
| Total | 79 | 25 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 85 | 27 | ||
| Career total | 236 | 80 | 20 | 10 | 26 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 284 | 96 | ||
HJK
St. Louis City SC
Individual