João Klauss de Mello (born 1 March 1997), commonly known as Klauss, is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a striker for Major League Soccer club St. Louis City SC.
![]() Klauss with LASK Linz in 2020 | |||
Personal information | |||
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Full name | João Klauss de Mello | ||
Date of birth | (1997-03-01) 1 March 1997 (age 25) | ||
Place of birth | Criciúma, Brazil | ||
Height | 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) | ||
Position(s) | Forward | ||
Club information | |||
Current team | St. Louis City SC | ||
Youth career | |||
2006–2010 | Internacional | ||
2010–2011 | Juventude | ||
2011–2016 | Grêmio | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2017– | Hoffenheim II | 24 | (5) |
2018 | → HJK Helsinki (loan) | 33 | (21) |
2019–2020 | → LASK (loan) | 42 | (15) |
2020–2022 | 1899 Hoffenheim | 4 | (0) |
2021–2022 | → Standard Liège (loan) | 33 | (7) |
2022 | → Sint-Truiden (loan) | 8 | (2) |
2022– | St. Louis City 2 | 4 | (4) |
2022– | St. Louis City SC | 0 | (0) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 21:16, 18 August 2022 (UTC) |
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 9. Klauss moved with his mother to Porte 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]
Klauss signed for his first European club in January 2017 when he moved to Hoffenheim in Germany. He initially struggled with the cultural change. He played 17 matches and scored 4 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]
On 3 March 2022, it was announced that Klauss would join Major League Soccer side St. Louis City SC in July 2022 following the conclusion of his loan at Sint-Truiden. He would become the club's first ever designated player.[5]
Born in Brazil, Klauss is of German descent through his father, and Italian descent through his mother. He holds an Italian passport.[6][7]
Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Europe | Total | ||||||
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Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
TSG 1899 Hoffenheim II | 2016-17 | Regionalliga | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 7 | 1 | ||
2017-18 | 17 | 4 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 17 | 4 | ||||
Total | 24 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 5 | ||
HJK (loan) | 2018 | Veikkausliiga | 33 | 21 | 3 | 2 | – | 6 | 1 | 42 | 24 | |
Total | 33 | 21 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 42 | 24 | ||
LASK (Loan) | 2018-19 | Austrian Bundesliga | 14 | 3 | 2 | 1 | – | – | 16 | 4 | ||
2019-20 | 28 | 12 | 4 | 3 | – | 13 | 5 | 45 | 20 | |||
Total | 42 | 15 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 5 | 61 | 24 | ||
TSG 1899 Hoffenheim II | 2020–21 | Regionalliga | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 3 | 1 | ||
Total | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | ||
TSG 1899 Hoffenheim | 2020-21 | Bundesliga | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | 5 | 0 | 10 | 0 | |
Total | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 10 | 0 | ||
Standard Liège (loan) | 2020-21 | Belgian First Division A | 12 | 4 | 4 | 1 | – | – | 16 | 5 | ||
Total | 12 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 5 | ||
Career Total | 118 | 46 | 14 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 6 | 156 | 59 |
St. Louis City SC – current squad | |
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Veikkausliiga top scorers | |
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