However, it hasn’t all been plain sailing for the Werder newcomer, who on Friday night perhaps thought back to earlier this year. At the start of the summer, he was only representing his former club, Arsenal, at U21s level and the 20 year old was faced with the important decision of whether this was how he wanted to continue. It seems since then, the Stuttgart-born winger has only made the correct decisions, as he’s experienced four spectacular months. Firstly a silver medal at the Olympics, then a move to Werder where he made his Bundesliga debut and scored his first goal in the top-flight of German football. Finally and most recently, he gained his first call-up to Joachim Löw’s Germany team.
Things have gone extremely quickly. “The Olympic Games in the summer were obviously crucial for me. I was fortunate to be a part of that team. Physically I now feel really good and am ready to keep working hard. The more game time I get, the more I will be able to settle into a good rhythm. My movement is getting better and my confidence is growing,” explained Gnabry.
Suddenly, he now has other things to think about, including where his medal from his debut will go. “I still don’t know myself, but probably next to my silver medal from the Olympics.” It could even go next to his “Goal of the Month” award for September, or perhaps next to his award for being the top scorer at the Olympics.
In just the last year alone, Gnabry has to go know the different aspects of football well. “If you play a lot and score goals, then a lot of people will talk about you. When you are on the bench, things are completely different. In the last year or so, I’ve got to know both of these sides. I think this experience has been good for me and one which I can learn from and grow from.”