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London - Werder Bremen winger Serge Gnabry has credited Arsenal for making him the player he is today, following his hat-trick heroics for Germany.
The 21-year-old made history when he netted three goals on his international debut for Die Mannschaft in an emphatic 8-0 victory against San Marino.
And following his achievement, Gnabry, who joined the Bundesliga club this season, says that his five-year-stay with the Gunners was invaluable to him becoming the player he is today.
"Without being in England, I would not be the player I am now," he told Standard Sport.
"There was Arsenal’s quick playing style, for example, which I learned.
"When you are a young player and you get to train with such top players as there are at Arsenal for three years then of course you take something away with you and it improves you."
"That was definitely the case with me. I probably would not be here now if I had not been in England," he added.
The midfielder, who boasts impressive international statistics from under 16 through to the first-team, admits that he thought his call-up to the national team was a hoax.
"The coach called me and I had to consider for a while whether it was real or not.
"There have been a lot of these fake calls on the radio and I just didn’t want to be the next victim!" he concluded.
Gnabry who is Bremen's top Bundesliga scorer will be hoping that his hat-trick will earn him a second Germany cap when they take on Italy on Tuesday night at the San Siro.
