João Klauss Bio
João Klauss de Mello (born 1 March 1997) is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a striker for Major League Soccer club LA Galaxy, where he wears the number 99 shirt. Standing 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) tall, he operates as a forward and is sometimes referred to simply as Klauss. He began his professional career in Germany in 2017 and has since played in Finland, Austria, Belgium, and the United States.
Over the course of his career, Klauss has developed through prominent Brazilian youth academies before moving to Europe as a teenager. He later became a trailblazer for an expansion franchise in Major League Soccer and has continued to build his reputation as a reliable goal scorer.
Early Life and Background
João Klauss de Mello was born in Criciúma, in the southern Brazilian state of 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, and both parents supported his football ambitions from an early age.
At the age of 13, he was released from Internacional’s youth program and moved to Juventude in Caxias do Sul, where he spent a year continuing his development. After that single season, he returned to Porto Alegre and joined the Grêmio youth academy, where he would spend the next five years refining his game and preparing for a professional career.
Path to Soccer
Klauss’s progression through Brazilian football offered him strong technical grounding. His time at Grêmio’s academy between 2011 and 2016 helped shape him into a tall, physical striker with a growing instinct for goal. The combination of his height and finishing ability made him an attractive prospect for European clubs.
In January 2017, Klauss signed for his first European club, TSG Hoffenheim in Germany, marking the start of his senior professional career. The move represented a significant step up from Brazilian youth football into the demanding environment of European professional soccer, where he would spend his first year adapting to a new league and culture.
João Klauss Career
Early Career (2017–2018)
Klauss signed with TSG Hoffenheim in January 2017 and was initially assigned to the club’s reserve side. He initially struggled with the cultural change, but adapted steadily to the demands of German football. He played 17 matches and scored four goals for Hoffenheim II in the Regionalliga Südwest, a competitive fourth-tier league, gaining valuable senior experience.
In March 2018, he was loaned to HJK, the leading club in Finnish football. On 8 April 2018, he scored on his debut in the Veikkausliiga against Ilves, marking his first goal in European top-flight football and signaling his readiness for higher competition.
LASK Breakthrough (2019–2020)
On 8 January 2019, Klauss was loaned out to LASK, the rising Austrian club based in Linz, until 30 June 2020. The move placed him in a competitive league where he could test himself against experienced European defenders. He contributed to LASK’s campaign in domestic and continental competition, building consistency as a target striker.
His performances during this loan spell helped him mature into a more complete forward, capable of leading the line in a possession-based system. The LASK period is widely regarded as a turning point in his development, where he began to demonstrate the goal-scoring touch that would later define his career in Major League Soccer.
Return to Hoffenheim and Standard Liège Loan (2020–2022)
Klauss returned to TSG Hoffenheim in 2020 and was integrated into the first-team setup, where he had the chance to train and play in the Bundesliga environment. Seeking regular minutes, he was subsequently loaned to Standard Liège in Belgium during the 2021–2022 season, gaining experience in another top European league and adjusting to the physical style of Belgian football.
On 31 January 2022, Klauss joined Sint-Truiden on loan for the remainder of the Belgian season, further broadening his exposure to varied European football cultures. Across these moves, he continued to develop his all-around game as a forward.
St. Louis City Era (2022–2025)
Klauss joined Major League Soccer side St. Louis City SC in July 2022, following his loan at Sint-Truiden, where he had been attached to the club’s developmental affiliate St. Louis City 2. He was the club’s first designated player, a signal of the franchise’s belief in his potential to be the face of a new expansion team.
On 25 February 2023, on the opening match of the MLS season, Klauss scored the final goal in a 3–2 victory over Austin FC, delivering the first win in St. Louis’s franchise history. On 14 June 2025, Klauss scored the first hat trick in CITY SC club history in a home match against LA Galaxy, cementing his place in the club’s record books.
Driving Style and Strengths
Although best known as a forward rather than a driver in motorsport terms, Klauss brings a physical, direct style to his role as a striker. He uses his 1.90 m frame to hold up play, link with midfielders, and finish with both feet. His movement in the penalty area and ability to time his runs make him a constant threat in front of goal.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among the signature moments of Klauss’s career are his debut goal for HJK in 2018, his role as the first designated player in St. Louis City SC history, his match-winning goal in the club’s inaugural MLS match, and his record-setting hat trick against LA Galaxy in June 2025. These milestones trace a clear arc of progress from a Brazilian youth prospect to an MLS record-holder.
João Klauss Career Wins
Klauss’s career has been marked by steady progression through multiple leagues rather than a single dominant championship run. He has scored at every senior level he has competed in, including the Regionalliga Südwest, the Veikkausliiga, the Austrian Bundesliga, the Belgian top flight, and Major League Soccer. His most celebrated results include scoring the first-ever goal in St. Louis City SC’s MLS history and recording the franchise’s first hat trick.
St. Louis City Highlights
During his time with St. Louis City SC, Klauss delivered the club’s first-ever MLS goal and first-ever MLS win on 25 February 2023, a 3–2 victory over Austin FC. He went on to become the club’s all-time leading MLS scorer during the expansion side’s formative years. On 14 June 2025, he recorded the first hat trick in CITY SC club history in a home match against LA Galaxy, a landmark achievement for both player and franchise.
Other Wins and Performances
Beyond his MLS contributions, Klauss scored on his HJK debut in the Veikkausliiga against Ilves in April 2018 and recorded four goals in 17 appearances for Hoffenheim II in the Regionalliga Südwest. His loan spells in Austria and Belgium added further top-flight experience that prepared him for the demands of North American soccer.
João Klauss Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Born in Brazil, Klauss is of German descent through his father, and Italian descent through his mother. He holds an Italian passport in addition to his Brazilian nationality, which has influenced his eligibility to play across multiple European leagues throughout his career.
Personal Life
Klauss moved with his mother to Porto Alegre as a child after his parents separated, and both parents supported his football career from early on. His multicultural heritage has been a defining part of his identity as a player who has built his career across Brazil, Germany, Finland, Austria, Belgium, and the United States.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season represented a high point in Klauss’s time with St. Louis City SC. On 14 June 2025, he delivered the first hat trick in CITY SC club history in a home match against LA Galaxy, underlining his continued importance to the team’s attack. His consistency throughout the campaign reinforced his status as the franchise’s leading striker.
His record-breaking performances in 2025 attracted attention from across Major League Soccer, and he has since moved to LA Galaxy, where he will wear the number 99 shirt as the club’s new designated striker. The transition marks a new chapter in his MLS career, building on the legacy he established in St. Louis.
Looking ahead, Klauss enters the next phase of his career with LA Galaxy carrying momentum from a record-setting season and a reputation as a reliable goal scorer in Major League Soccer.