You will discover Dejan Joveljić, former Anderlecht, MLS star and chess master

In the silence of a Brussels apartment during lockdown, Dejan Joveljić, then a young striker loaned to Sporting Anderlecht, discovered the black squares of the chess game. Today, the Serbian international stands out as much on MLS pitches as on the online chess board.

A striker's journey between Belgium and the United States

Joveljić arrived at Anderlecht a few weeks before the coronavirus pandemic, after Eintracht Frankfurt bought him from Étoile Rouge de Belgrade for four million euros. Little used as a forward, he was loaned to Sporting to regain rhythm, then played five matches in purple, scoring a goal and an assist.

After a loan in Austria with Wolfsberger, the German club sold him permanently to Los Angeles Galaxy in 2021. Since then, he has been playing in MLS, where he has already scored sixty‑three goals since his arrival.

A prolific season in MLS

This season, Joveljić scored eleven goals in twenty‑four matches for two different clubs, leaving Kansas City for Seattle Sounders during the summer, a transfer accompanied by a cheque of more than five million euros.

He also responded instantly to the Sounders' needs, scoring three goals in four appearances, according to an official club post.

The chess master among athletes

Outside football, Joveljić became passionate about chess during the lockdown in Brussels, taking lessons with Miodrag Perunovic, an international master. On chess.com, he holds an Elo rating of 2 600, placing him in the top 0.01% of users, a level that few footballers reach.

He describes himself as “undoubtedly hooked”, stating that he first completes his football obligations before playing chess each day.

His progress has been recognized at the international level: he was called up to the Serbian national team for the first four matches of the 2026‑2027 Nations League.