I'm no Henrik says Sweden's other Larsson

By Darren Ennis

LUGANO, Switzerland (Reuters) - They may have the same surname and an eye for goal but the similarities end there, Sweden's Sebastien Larsson said of comparisons with his namesake Henrik, voted the country's best ever player.

"We have the same name so people have started to compare me to him (Henrik) and write about me but we are very different players," Larsson told Reuters at his team's lakeside training camp on the Swiss-Italian border.

"Firstly, he is a striker and I am a midfielder, although we both like freekicks and scoring goals. But I am still learning and he is a great player with great experience."

After making a major impact in four appearances since his international debut against Turkey in February, Swedish media have described Sebastian as the "new Larsson", likening him to the 36 year-old former Celtic and Barcelona striker.

"It is an honour to play with Henrik. He is one of the greatest players of all time. He is a hero of mine. But you cannot compare," he said.

BIRTHDAY PRESENT

Having turned 23 on Friday, Sebastian is seeking a belated birthday present from coach Lars Lagerback -- a place alongside his idol in Sweden's Euro 2008 opener against Greece on Tuesday.

"It was my birthday a couple of days ago but I wasn't able to celebrate. I'll do that after the tournament. But being picked in the first game would be the best birthday gift," he said.