Dejan Joveljić, the LA Galaxy striker, is offering fans a chance to play chess against him during MLS All-Star voting week. The Serbian forward carries a 2217 rating, making him a legitimate threat across both sports.
Joveljić represents something rare in professional soccer. Most elite athletes treat chess as a passing interest. He's different. A 2217 rating puts him solidly in expert territory, well above casual club player strength. That's the kind of rating you earn through serious study and consistent play, not dabbling.
The setup lets fans challenge him while voting for their All-Star choices. It's a smart promotional angle. Soccer fans curious about chess get to test themselves against a professional athlete who actually knows the game. Chess players get bragging rights if they beat an MLS star.
His dual competence matters. Soccer demands rapid decision-making, spatial awareness, and the ability to calculate possibilities under pressure. Those same skills translate to chess. Joveljić isn't just a dilettante playing blitz with his teammates between matches. His rating proves he understands chess deeply.
The timing during All-Star voting week gives this extra reach. Soccer fans scrolling through voting interfaces will stumble onto the challenge. Some will take it. Most will lose. A few might pick up chess because of it. That's how you grow the game.