Three of a Klein

It would be impossible to tell the story of Saint Louis University men’s soccer without including John Klein. All three of them.

Three generations of Kleins have donned the blue and white of the Billikens. Along the way, the Kleins have established a legacy at SLU.

“This is a family who all happened to have the same passion,” John Klein III said. “My grandpa started playing soccer for no other reason than that he loved the game. That love for the game was passed down to a son and grandson who have been incredibly fortunate to have some success in the soccer world. My dad and I have realized how good this game has been to us, and it makes us want to continue building on that legacy that my grandpa
started.”

The first John Klein to suit up for SLU was the late John Klein I (IT ’61). He was part of the Billikens’ 1959 and 1960 national championship squads. In 1991 he was inducted into the St. Louis Soccer Hall of Fame and in 1995 was named to the Billiken Hall of Fame. He died on May 11, 2023.

“I always heard of the type of player he was — people described him as hard-working and blue-collar,” Klein III said. “They said he was a shorter defender but would go up against a tall forward and win a head ball over them.”

More than two decades later, another Klein took the pitch at SLU, but it almost didn’t happen.

“I set my eyes on some schools outside of St. Louis and went to Duke for a couple of years,”
John Klein II said. “Things were good there, but I all of a sudden got this itch to make my way back to St. Louis, and I wound up at SLU. In the end, I think I wanted to honor my dad. He played there, so I wanted to play there.”

Klein II (CSB ’87) was on the SLU team in 1985 and 1986. After that, he played professionally for a number of teams, including the St. Louis Ambush and Storm. Klein II moved into coaching and has been the coach of the Columbia College (Missouri) men’s soccer team since 2000 and the first and only coach of Columbia’s women’s program.

John Klein III continued the family tradition in 2018. It wasn’t a hard choice to come to SLU.

“Playing for the same school as my dad and grandpa filled me with tremendous pride,” he said. “Each time I put on the Billiken jersey, I would think about them. They had put on that jersey before me and had success, so I felt it was my responsibility to hold that up. I really just wanted to make them proud.”

John Klein III (CSB ’21, Grad PS ’23) wrapped up his highly decorated career after the 2022 season. During his time at SLU, the Billikens returned to the NCAA tournament, and Klein was a key fixture. In his final year, he was named the Atlantic 10 co-offensive player of the year, first-team all-conference and first-team all-region.

Playing for the same school as my dad and grandpa filled me with tremendous pride. Each time I put on the Billiken jersey, I would think about them."

John Klein III, (CSB ’21, Grad PS ’23)

When Klein III took the pitch at Hermann Stadium, the stands were filled with family. “Johnny got us reconnected with SLU,” Klein II said. “That was an amazing experience. It was great coming to those games and interacting with the program again. It renewed our respect and love for Saint Louis University.”

Seeing the family reunion in the bleachers was a highlight of Klein III’s time at SLU.

“Looking up in the stands, I’d see my family — grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins — about 15 people waving and smiling at me,” Klein III said. “This game has given my family so many memorable moments that we will be able to talk about forever.”

Following his successful SLU career, Klein III was able to stay in St. Louis. St. Louis City SC took him 30th overall in the 2022 MLS SuperDraft. He made his MLS debut on May 20, 2023, at CITYPark in a 4-0 win over Sporting Kansas City.

“Continuing playing in St. Louis has been one of the best things to happen in my soccer career,” he said. “Not only do I still get to play in front of my family and friends, but the St. Louis City fans have been really good to me. They are really proud of their local players,
and I can tell they want me to succeed.”