A 'special goal machine' - meet Slovenia's danger man

Euro 2024 is accelerated becoming a tourney for nan young stars - Slovenia's Benjamin Sesko will beryllium hopeless to burst into that party.

A poster boy for nan accepted 'number nine', Sesko is 1 of nan astir breathtaking young strikers successful Europe and will already person seen nan likes of Lamine Yamal, Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz make large impressions successful Germany.

On Tuesday, nan 21-year-old is astatine nan centre of Slovenia’s ambitions to make nan knockout stages of a awesome tourney for nan first clip - knowing a triumph against England would unafraid qualification

He did not people successful Slovenia’s opening 2 games astatine Euro 2024, draws against Denmark and Serbia, but Gareth Southgate's men will cognize nan RB Leipzig striker poses a immense threat.

The hopes of a federation whitethorn beryllium connected his shoulders, but successful his fledgling profession he has had nary problem pinch pressure.

Last season, he scored 14 goals successful 31 matches arsenic he became a fans' favourite successful his first play astatine Leipzig, aft a move from Red Bull Salzburg.

His shape saw a number of apical European clubs, including nan likes of Chelsea and Arsenal, registry their liking earlier he signed a caller woody successful June to soundlessness nan speculation.

Miran Zore, a Slovenian journalist from Nogomania.com, said: "He near Slovenia very young astatine 16, erstwhile he transferred from Domzale to Salzburg. His talent was already there.

"We benignant of expected his occurrence but nary 1 knew he was truthful special, isolated from his agent, Elvis Basanovic, who tried to person group astir his potential. He utilized to nonstop messages to scouts and directors, saying, 'this is nan adjacent extremity machine'.

"When he was struggling successful Salzburg astatine nan start, group were asking his agent, ‘where’s this extremity machine.’ Now, everyone is laughing astir it."

World-class players are not really that communal successful Slovenia, truthful that is why location person been large expectations.

Former Slovenian world and nationalist squad director, Miran Pavlin, said: "He’s very modest, coming from a mini municipality and knows really to woody pinch each nan things.

"He became a large prima since a young age, but has stayed a normal feline and I’m judge he’ll enactment for illustration that successful nan future, too."

Pavlin, a erstwhile Porto and Freiburg midfielder, played astatine 2 large tournaments for Slovenia - Euro 2000 and nan 2002 World Cup - and knows nan expectations connected Sesko's shoulders.

“[Pressure] is bully for him," he added. "Even if he has to woody pinch it arsenic a youngster. We astatine nan federation effort to return nan unit away.

"People expect him to people each game, but that’s not imaginable successful football. In nan first 2 games, he worked for nan squad and was very good. We’ll beryllium happy if he scores against England."

Sesko's meteoric emergence has led to comparisons pinch Erling Haaland, Manchester City's prolific Norwegian.

He has already said he studies Haaland's crippled connected YouTube and, aft playing against him successful an world friends successful September 2022, he made judge he was nan 1 to switch shirts.

Sesko is 6ft 4ins tall, but that does not limit him erstwhile it comes to mobility and speed, likewise to Haaland. "Such comparisons motivate maine and springiness maine energy," he said.

“Haaland is simply a finisher, but Sesko is simply a different type of player," said Zore. "He chases nan defenders each complete nan place, is beardown successful nan air, a awesome finisher and tin besides sprout from extracurricular nan box.

"The comparison pinch Haaland came owed to his akin tallness and profession path. But I deliberation Haaland is simply a punishment container player, while Sesko is acold more. He tin beryllium besides a playmaker successful nan attack, opening space."

While Atletico Madrid goalkeeper Jan Oblak is Slovenia's astir recognisable player, Sesko is undoubtedly their biggest threat.

He scored his first world extremity astatine nan property of 18 years and 1 time and became nan team’s apical scorer successful Euro 2024 qualifying, pinch 5 successful 9 appearances.

Sudden stardom has not fazed him, though.

“He has nan biggest trading imaginable among each Slovenian players, but he’s very modest," said Zore.

"He ever takes pictures pinch kids aft nan games, sometimes it tin past much than 30 minutes. He is simply a benignant of nationalist hero, but very humble and open."

Sesko still has that passion for shot - nan athletics he fell successful emotion pinch while increasing up successful Radece, a mini municipality successful nan south-east of Slovenia. He besides played basketball, only choosing shot erstwhile he was 15.

That proved to beryllium a life-changing decision, arsenic he now emerges onto nan radar of apical clubs crossed Europe.

His agents had conversations pinch Serie A and Premier League clubs and he moreover had an connection from Saudi Arabia.

Ultimately, he opted to enactment for astatine slightest 1 much play astatine Leipzig and signed a caller statement until 2029.

However, Sesko is still destined for a large move successful nan upcoming seasons.

“He has to attraction connected playing good and nan transportation will come, if not this year, past successful 1 aliases 2 years. He has nan imaginable to beryllium 1 of nan apical 10 strikers successful nan world, for sure,” Pavlin said.