Challenge The World's 'Best Chess Soccer Player' And MLS Star Striker Dejan Joveljić
As we enter the last week of Major League Soccer (MLS) All-Star voting, you can now play chess against MLS star Dejan Joveljić! A dangerous player on the field, Joveljić also knows how to score over the chessboard. With a jaw-dropping 2217 rating, Joveljić's bot is ready to dribble past your defenses and go after your king. So make sure you stretch, warm up, and brace yourself before heading to our Play Computer page to challenge Joveljić to a game!
Dejan Joveljić is a Serbian professional soccer player currently playing for Sporting Kansas City in Major League Soccer (MLS). A talented striker, Joveljić made a name for himself in MLS after scoring 41 goals for the LA Galaxy, including the game-winning goal in the 2024 MLS Cup presented by Audi. After this successful run, his current club signed him for $4 million, marking the first cash-for-player trade in MLS history
But beyond his soccer accolades, Joveljić has also achieved significant success in chess. In 2025, he told MLS in an interview that he's the "best chess soccer player in the world," boasting a FIDE rating of 2200+ to support his claim.
Joveljić learned the game from his father and grandfather when he was between five and six years old. But he started taking the game more seriously during the COVID-19 lockdown. As his rating grew, so did his passion. Nowadays, he even takes online lessons with IM Miodrag Perunovic, who took to X to congratulate his student on his progress as a chess player.
Congratulations to my great student a new CM and 2215 Fide rated player Dejan Joveljic from @LAGalaxy ! This makes him the best active chess soccer player in the World! When we started from the scratch two years ago, I knew he was talented but not this much!Idemoo Jovkeee💪👏🍀⚽️ pic.twitter.com/TAZM1CjjkE
— Miodrag Perunovic (@TheButcherChess) December 24, 2021
Joveljić's love for the game and impressive strength have gained public attention. The player has given numerous interviews in which he discusses his involvement with chess; on Apple TV, he's featured in Behind the Shield: Checkmate, a 12-minute episode where he talks about the game; and he's even posted a video of himself playing chess in a public square on his own YouTube channel.
"It is a pretty amazing feeling. I've played so many games on Chess.com over the years, so seeing a bot with my name on it is special," Joveljić said about his new bot. "I think people will face a player that’s aggressive. I like dynamic positions, initiative, pressure… probably similar to my football style."
Joveljić's next goal is to become an FM, and he's still practicing every day to get there. Can you survive against his fierce play? Challenge the Joveljić bot and find out!
