Jonathan Clauss

Jonathan Florent Clauss (; born 25 September 1992) is a French professional footballer who plays as a right-back for Ligue 1 club Nice and the France national team.

Clauss represented France at the UEFA Euro 2024.

Early life Jonathan Florent Clauss was born on 25 September 1992 in Strasbourg, Alsace.

Club career Early career A long-term academy product of Strasbourg, Clauss spent years in the lower divisions of France and Germany before signing a contract with Quevilly-Rouen in the Ligue 2 for the 2017–18 season. He made his professional debut for the club in a 3–2 loss to Châteauroux on 8 September 2017, in which he assisted one of his side's goals.

Arminia Bielefeld In August 2018, free agent Clauss joined 2. Bundesliga side Arminia Bielefeld after trialling with the side.

Lens In May 2020, L'Équipe reported Clauss would be leaving Bielefeld upon expiration of his contract in the summer and return to France having agreed a three-year contract with Lens, newly promoted to Ligue 1. At the age of 28, he made the first top-flight appearance of his career. At the end of the 2020–21 season, he was included in the Ligue 1 Team of the Year by the Union Nationale des Footballeurs Professionnels (UNFP).

Nice

On 25 July 2024, Clauss signed for Nice for €5 million plus €1 million in potential bonuses.

International career In March 2022, at the age of 29, Clauss received his first call-up to the France national team when manager Didier Deschamps selected him for friendly matches against Ivory Coast and South Africa. He made his debut on 25 March in a 2–1 victory over the former side.

On 18 November 2023, Clauss scored his first goal with France in a 14–0 win over Gibraltar, the largest victory in the nation's history.

Personal life Clauss has been an outspoken critic of homophobic chants during football games. In May 2025, he said during an interview with L'Equipe that homosexual players hide because "people are selfish (...) they don't put in other people's shoes." Clauss also stated that on homophobia and other social issues like racism, he has always been "on the side of those who were not very popular in the (school) playground."

In September 2025, during a match against Paris FC, referee Abdelatif Kherradji warned Nice fans that he would stop the game if the homophobic chants did not stop. Angry, Clauss confronted the fans who continued shouting anti-gay insults, later expressing that "there are things that shouldn't be heard in a football stadium, even in everyday society", again urging for protective environment for gay players.

Career statistics Club + Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Division!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals

2013–14 Verbandsliga Südbaden

2013–14 Oberliga Baden-Württemberg

2014–15 Verbandsliga Südbaden

Raon-l'Étape 2015–16 CFA

Avranches 2016–17 2. Bundesliga

2019–20

Scores and results list France's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Clauss goal

Honours Arminia Bielefeld 2. Bundesliga: 2019–20 Nice

Coupe de France runner-up: 2025–26

Individual Ligue 1 Team of the Year: 2020–21, 2021–22