Benjamin Sesko is having a great year. After making a name for himself at Leipzig, where he emerged as the club’s top scorer in the 2024-25 season, the Slovenian striker has now entered the hallowed turf of Old Trafford to be Manchester United’s frontman.
So far, the 21-year-old has not hit the ground running, with Ruben Amorim bedding in the young forward with substitute appearances in Premier League games, until Sunday’s Manchester Derby, where he started upfront alongside Bryan Mbeumo and Amad Diallo. The match was a forgettable one, with the Red Devils being thoroughly outclassed, 3-0, by a simply better City team.
Sesko’s arrival at United was much hyped, with the club shelling out around £70 million for him, making him the first ever Slovenian to play for the Red Devils. After Rasmus Hojlund was loaned off to Napoli (where he scored on debut), Sesko is expected to take over the reins of the United frontline and make the sleeping giants come back to winning ways.
The young striker does showcase glimpses of talent, with his tall height, accurate heading abilities, powerful kicking, and a dominating presence in the opponent’s box despite being lean and lithe standing out as his core skills. Sesko has netted 16 goals for his national team and has drawn comparisons to Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
While he is yet to get his name on the scoresheet, his name has found its way into footballing forums due to his tattoos. The young striker seems to have an affinity for body art. In this post, we will discuss each of his tattoos, and what we know so far about the stories they carry.
Sesko’s Outer Left Arm: Virgin Mary
Sesko’s right arm tattoo is a sketch of the Virgin Mary. The tattoo showcases his faith as a devout Christian, and his belief in God. Below the Virgin Mary, Sesko has a Slovenian word “Saldana” which roughly translates to “Sweetness”.
Inner Right Arm
The tattoo runs vertically and reads:
“I can accept failure, everyone fails at something, but what I can’t accept is not trying.”
This is a direct quote from Michael Jordan, one of the most famous motivational lines from him. It’s about persistence and effort being more important than outcomes. The tattoo symbolises Sesko’s determination to be the best at his game, the mentality that got him a move to one of the biggest clubs in the world.
Inner Left arm
This one is in cursive script. It says:
“God can bring peace to your past purpose your present and hope to to your future.
This is taken from The Bible, in John 14:27. The phrase “God can bring peace to your past, purpose to your present, and hope to your future” is a simple interpretation of the chapter where Jesus calls for disciples before His crucifixion. The quote offers a promise of a divine peace distinct from worldly anxieties, giving comfort and courage in the face of challenges. This is a personal mantra about motivation, to bring purpose and optimism for the future. The quote is underlined by a paper plane flying, showing a peaceful and nostalgic twist to the quote, showing that Sesko accepts his childhood dreams and although he is a star now, he is still humble about his beginnings.
Rose Tattoo on the Neck
He has a rose tattoo on his neck, signifying love and peace. The rose motif also showcases fiery passion, love for life and passion to do things right. It can also be interpreted in a Romantic sense, as rose is seen as a symbol of attraction toward the opposite sex.
Side of the Neck: Gemini Sign
It’s a Gemini zodiac symbol (♊︎) inked just below his ear, showing his zodiac sign. Geminis are born between May 21 and June 30, according to the Gregorian calendar. Sesko’ birthday comes on 31st May, making him a Gemini. The Gemini sign is associated with adaptability, duality, communication, and youthful energy, which are traits often linked to versatile athletes. Other famous Gemini footballers include Mohammad Salah (June 15), Viktor Gyokeres (June 4), Kai Havertz (June 11), etc.
Cross Tattoo on his Left Hand
While deep diving into Sesko’s love for tattoos, we noticed that he has a tattoo of a Christian Cross symbol on his left hand. This is clearly visible in this screenshot from his official contract announcement video with Man United. Sesko’ literally wears his faith on his sleeve.
Sleeve Tattoos Explained
Let’s take a look at Sesko’s arms. While we have talked about the image of the Virgin Mary and the text “Sladona”, his left forearm also has the image of a baby boy, wearing a robe draped around him, with a halo on top of him. The tattoo could be a symbol of the Son of God, or Jesus Christ. It serves as a continuation of the Virgin Mary tattoo on the shoulder, extending the religious imagery on his arms and his display of loyalty towards his Christian faith and his religious beliefs.
On his inner right arm, one could see a large, magnificent rose. Historically, roses have been shown to be motifs for passion, vigor, and love. A big rose on his bicep indicates his passion for the game and wholeheartedness to live life with intensity. Below the rose, on the inner left forearm, there is a picture of a lion wearing a king’s crown.
Lion, as one knows, is referred to as the King of the Jungle. Sesko’s idol, the Swedish legend Zlatan Ibrahimovic, is famous for his appreciation for lions. Zlatan once said, in an interview with Piers Morgan, “Lions don’t compare themselves with humans.” Sesko has been vocal about his love for Zlatan and how he has modelled his game after him, a tall striker who was remarkably good with his feet.
“He’s been my role model since I’ve been small,” Sesko said, in his first interview at United.
“We don’t have the same, let’s say, character,” the Slovenian specified.
“But I like to see him, the way he plays, the way he enjoys football, because that’s when all the joy comes, you know. If you enjoy football, then everything works. And I think this is the most important.
On the outer side of his right arm, one can notice a clock. On his right shoulder, another portrait of the Virgin Mary, praying. Since Sesko has recurring religious imagery and Christian symbolism, it won’t be unwise for us to say that the Clock in question probably showcases an auspicious moment, probably the moment he was born, or some similar important personal milestone. The clock shows the time as 10:13, which could be some personal moment of significance for the Slovenian striker.
An amalgamation of roses and clocks adorns his right forearm. While roses are a pretty common motif in body art, the clock situated between two roses symbolises everlasting love, and could probably be a romantic gesture for his girlfriend Anita Vidovic.
Back of the arms: A Shining Star, and a Sun
On Sesko’s left elbow, an impression of the Sun coming out from within the clouds can be noticed. On his right elbow, he has a star shooting through the skies. Both symbols showcase positivity and idealism, indicating his want for the ability to shine through the darkness and fulfill his dreams as a star individual.
Sesko’s left bicep also bears 4 Christian crosses, which again is a reference to his deep-rooted belief, and can be interpreted as representing the four Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
In Sesko’s image, while training in Carrington, some visuals of his calf tattoos can be found. They probably represent wings. and surreal Christian imagery.
Overall, Sesko’s tattoos signify the 21-year-old’s love for Christianity and faith, with peace symbols showing his love for solemnity and a cool, calm demeanour. The usually bubbly young striker seems to have a really likable personality, and his tattoos help flesh that out.
