João Klauss Explained

João Klauss
Fullname:João Klauss de Mello
Birth Date:1 March 1997
Birth Place:Criciúma, Brazil
Currentclub:St. Louis City
Clubnumber:9
Position:Forward
Youthyears1:2006–2010
Youthclubs1:Internacional
Youthyears2:2010–2011
Youthclubs2:Juventude
Youthyears3:2011–2016
Youthclubs3:Grêmio
Years1:2017–2020
Clubs1:TSG Hoffenheim II
Caps1:24
Goals1:5
Years2:2018
Clubs2:HJK (loan)
Caps2:33
Goals2:21
Years3:2019–2020
Clubs3:LASK (loan)
Caps3:42
Goals3:15
Years4:2020–2022
Clubs4:TSG Hoffenheim
Caps4:4
Goals4:0
Years5:2021–2022
Clubs5:Standard Liège (loan)
Caps5:33
Goals5:7
Years6:2022
Clubs6:Sint-Truiden (loan)
Caps6:8
Goals6:2
Years7:2022
Clubs7:St. Louis City 2
Caps7:4
Goals7:4
Years8:2023–
Clubs8:St. Louis City
Caps8:28
Goals8:13
Club-Update:21 April, 2024 (CST)

João Klauss de Mello (born 1 March 1997), sometimes known as just Klauss, is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a striker for Major League Soccer club St. Louis City SC.

Early life

João Klauss de Mello was born in Criciúma, Santa Catarina. He began his career with Internacional in Porto 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 to Juventude in Caxias do Sul. After a year, he moved back to Porto Alegre and joined the Grêmio's youth academy.[1]

Club career

thumb|upright|left|Klauss with HJK in 2018Klauss signed for his first European club in January 2017, when he moved to TSG Hoffenheim in Germany. He initially struggled with the cultural change. He played 17 matches and scored four goals for Hoffenheim II in the Regionalliga Südwest.

He was loaned to HJK in March 2018.[2] On 8 April, he scored in his debut in the Veikkausliiga against Ilves.

On 8 January 2019, Klauss was loaned out to LASK until 30 June 2020.[3] On 31 January 2022, Klauss joined Sint-Truiden on loan.[4]

Klauss joined Major League Soccer side St. Louis City SC in July 2022, following his loan at Sint-Truiden. He was the club's first designated player.[5] On February 25, 2023, the opening match of the MLS season, Klauss scored the final goal in a 3–2 victory over Austin FC, the first win in St. Louis's franchise history.[6]

Personal life

Born in Brazil, Klauss is of German descent through his father, and Italian descent through his mother. He holds an Italian passport.[7] [8]

Career statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueNational cupContinentalOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
TSG 1899 Hoffenheim IIRegionalliga Südwest7171
2017–18Regionalliga Südwest174174
2020–21Regionalliga Südwest3131
Total276276
HJK (loan)2018Veikkausliiga332132614224
LASK (Loan)2018–19Austrian Bundesliga14321164
2019–20Austrian Bundesliga2812431354520
Total4215641356124
TSG Hoffenheim2020–21Bundesliga401050100
Standard Liège (loan)2020–21Belgian First Division A19551246
2021–22Belgian First Division A20231233
Total39782479
Sint-Truiden (loan)2021–22Belgian First Division A8282
St. Louis City II2022MLS Next Pro4444
St. Louis City2023MLS191000202110
2024MLS9520113
Total28130020203213
Career total185681882662023182

Honours

HJK

St. Louis City SC

2023

Individual

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: HJK:n uusi hyökkääjä valitsi jalkapallouran 10-vuotiaana ja juoksi suurkaupungissa ahdistelijoitaan karkuun: "Ajattelin koko ajan, että minusta tulee ammattijalkapalloilija". 9 April 2018. Helsingin Sanomat. 8 April 2018.
  2. News: KLAUSS DE MELLO ON HJK:N UUSI HYÖKKÄÄJÄ. 9 April 2018. HJK.fi. 15 March 2018.
  3. https://www.lask.at/verstaerkung-fuer-den-lask/ VERSTÄRKUNG FÜR DEN LASK!
  4. Sint-Truiden. JOÃO KLAUSS IS EEN KANARIE!. 31 January 2022. 7 February 2022. nl.
  5. Web site: St. Louis CITY SC Signs Forward João Klauss as Designated Player | St. Louis SC.
  6. Web site: 2023-02-26 . St. Louis City wins inaugural match, beats Austin 3-2 . 2023-02-26 . AP NEWS . en.
  7. Web site: Verstärkung für den LASK!. January 8, 2019.
  8. Web site: Klauss will beim LASK nicht nur Deutsch lernen. nachrichten.at.
  9. Web site: Happonen . Jesse . 2018-11-03 . Tässä Veikkausliiga-kauden 2018 kaikki palkitut – HJK-tähti putsasi palkintopöydän . 2023-01-02 . Arvokisat . fi.
  10. Web site: Happonen . Jesse . 2018-11-03 . Tässä Veikkausliiga-kauden 2018 kaikki palkitut – HJK-tähti putsasi palkintopöydän . 2023-01-02 . Arvokisat . fi.
  11. Web site: Jalkapallotoimittajat nimesivät oman tähdistöjoukkueen . 2023-01-02 . www.veikkausliiga.com . fi.
  12. https://www.jpy.fi/fi/uutiset/klauss-veikkausliigan-kuukauden-pelaaja Klauss Veikkausliigan kuukauden pelaaja
  13. https://www.jpy.fi/fi/uutiset/hjk-n-klauss-jalleen-veikkausliigan-kuukauden-pelaaja HJK:n Klauss jälleen Veikkausliigan kuukauden pelaaja