More Ibrahimovic than Haaland: Benjamin Sesko wants to create his own style at RB Leipzig

In Benjamin Sesko, RB Leipzig have signed one of Europe's most talented strikers. Although often compared to Erling Haaland, Sesko actually grew up idolizing Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

You could tell that Benjamin Sesko was visibly irritated by the number of questions that were asked about the comparisons between him and Erling Haaland. “I am my own player,” Sesko said as part of a roundtable that was attended by Gegenpressing on Monday. “The only thing that makes us kind of comparable is the height. But we have a very different style of play. I like him as a player, but I don’t like to compare myself to anyone; I just want to be myself.” 

In fairness, some of that comparison has been of Sesko’s own doing. “Such comparisons motivate me and give me energy," Sesko has said in the past when compared to the Norwegian star. "They do not represent pressure. I will listen and learn so I can be even better than he is. My teammates at the club tell me that Haaland and I are very similar, especially in terms of speed. Most of them even tell me that I’m better than him!”

But on Monday, Sesko had visibly had enough of the comparisons being made between him and the towering striker. Indeed, it is not surprising that many of the English media narrowed in on Haaland. Although from two very different countries, the two were developed by Red Bull Salzburg, and Sesko was tasked with filling the gap at the Austrian giants when Haaland moved to Dortmund in January 2020.