João Klauss

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.

Club career
Klauss 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. 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. On 31 January 2022, Klauss joined Sint-Truiden on loan.

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. 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.

Personal life
Born in Brazil, Klauss is of German descent through his father, and Italian descent through his mother. He holds an Italian passport.

Honours
HJK
 * Veikkausliiga: 2018

St. Louis City SC
 * Major League Soccer: 2023

Individual
 * Veikkausliiga Player of the Year: 2018
 * Veikkausliiga Top scorer: 2018
 * Veikkausliiga Striker of the Year: 2018
 * Veikkausliiga Breakthrough the Year: 2018
 * Veikkausliiga Team of the Year: 2018
 * Veikkausliiga Player of the Month: August 2018, September 2018