Brentford forward Kevin Schade has said that receiving his first call-up for the German national team is a 'childhood dream'.

The 21-year-old signed for the Bees from Bundesliga side Freiburg in January and has impressed since his move to west London, which has seen him earn a spot in Hansi Flick's squad.

And Schade could make his Germany debut in friendlies against Peru (25 March) and Belgium (28 March).

Speaking in a press conference, Schade praised the quality of the national team squad, stating that he will try to 'soak everything up' as he trains with some of the members of the nation's 2014 World Cup-winning side.

"I like it very much. Everyone is very nice and tries to accommodate us well," he stated.

"The quality of the team is very high. I take everything here and soak it all up.

"Obviously I had read the rumours but I was surprised to be called up. The national team is a childhood dream, the highest level there is."

He added: "I used to be more of a national team fan than a club fan when I was a kid.

"I always got [Michael] Ballack and [Bastian] Schweinsteiger shirts from my grandfather. But I never played with them because they were way too big. My grandfather said, 'You'll grow into it'."

Schade also discussed his first few months as a Brentford player, where he has made nine appearances since his move to England.

He made his first start against Southampton in a recent 1-0 win and assisted Mathias Jensen’s goal during Brentford’s 3-2 victory over Fulham earlier this month.

Schade joined the Bees on loan in January, with the deal expected to be made permanent for a club-record undisclosed fee in the summer.

And the striker explained why he believes the Premier League is a good fit for him.

"I think the style of play in England suits me more. I've been injured for a while now but I think it will be good at Brentford," he said.

"Everything is faster, it's played more directly at the top. Possession, power and momentum play a big role."