Sesko exclusive: How a lanky child's discipline and belief put him on path to Man Utd

Before stepping onto the grand stage of Old Trafford, Benjamin Šeško was a determined boy from Radeče, a small Slovenian town nestled by the Sava River.

His story is one of sacrifice, discipline, and belief—qualities that turned him from a promising local player into one of Europe’s most exciting strikers at Manchester United.

And Sesko hasn't forgotten his roots despite joining United. He returned to NK Radeče in June and donated football shirts for the players and spent time with the young players.

The club stated: "A day we will never forget in NK Radeče! Benjamin Šeško visited us today and prepared a wonderful surprise for our football players - new jerseys, which they really needed.

"Sincere thanks, Beni, for taking time for our kids despite your busy schedule, making them happy and showing how great things a person with a good heart can do. These jerseys will be proudly worn by our football players this Saturday at the Splavar tournament in Radeče!

"Moments like these remind us, why we love football, what community and support mean, and that with hard work and the right attitude anything is possible. Thank you Benjamin — a role model on and off the court!"

From the start, Šeško’s dedication was unusual for his age. While playing for Krško, he would often arrive by train for training sessions 45 minutes early, using the extra time to practise shooting and ball control.

His first coach at NK Radeče, Jernej Čeh, vividly remembers the impression Šeško made.

“Despite the fact that he was a year younger at the beginning, he was at least equal to those a year older, or he even stood out … He was tall for his age … fast and resourceful,” he said.

That height and athleticism sometimes led opponents to question whether he was truly in the correct age category. Coaches would have to show his ID card to prove he wasn’t older than his peers.

But it wasn’t just physical presence—his reading of the game and quick decision-making hinted at the striker he would become.

Ambition soon led him away from home. At just 15, Šeško moved to NK Domžale, living away from his family to pursue a higher level of football.

The transition wasn’t easy—new surroundings, new teammates, and the emotional strain of distance—but it built resilience.

Čeh notes that such leaps are rare: “He showed talent from the beginning … only a small percentage of football players actually succeed.”

From Domžale, scouts from Austria came calling, and Šeško joined Red Bull Salzburg’s academy before a move to RB Leipzig.

The challenges of adapting to a foreign country—language barriers, cultural shifts, and the constant pressure to perform—were met with the same mindset that had driven him since those early train rides.

By his late teens, Šeško was already a star for the Slovenian national team. In an interview after a crucial performance, he expressed the belief that drives both him and his country forward.

He said: “Sposobni smo za velike stvari.” (“We are capable of great things.”)

Slovenian media have framed Šeško’s success not simply as a tale of natural talent, but as the product of persistence, humility, and unshakable work ethic.

His upbringing in a close-knit community provided a grounding influence, while his early moves away from home hardened his professional resolve.

Now, as he prepares for his debut season in the Premier League with Manchester United, Šeško carries those lessons into a new chapter.

The bright lights of England’s top flight will be a world away from the quiet pitches of Radeče, but the habits formed there—arriving early, giving everything in training, embracing challenges—remain unchanged.

His signing also comes at a time when United are seeking fresh energy and long-term firepower. In Šeško, they have a player who has already shown that he can rise to each level he faces, and who thrives on proving doubters wrong.

The boy who once spent lonely evenings in a dorm at Domžale now steps into one of football’s biggest arenas with the same calm determination he had at 15.

The journey from the small Slovenian town to Old Trafford is a story of vision—his own, his coaches’, and his family’s. And if his early words for Slovenia are anything to go by, Šeško’s ambitions in Manchester will be just as bold: capable of great things, and ready to prove it.