Karen Carney column: Experiencing Euro 2020 as a pitchside reporter

Uefa Euro 2020 Dates on BBC Dates: 11 June-11 Jul Locations: Amsterdam, Baku Budapest, Budapest, Copenhagen Copenhagen, London, Munich Seville, St Petersburg. Live coverage : BBC TV, BBC Radio 5 Live and iPlayer. Also available on the BBC Sport website, app and app. For more information, click hereEuro 2020 is my best job - aside from Gareth Southgate and the England players.BBC Radio 5 Live has been covering me from Wembley pitchside, and I am directly behind the goal, slightly to the right. It's a privilege to be in this position.Because I was so close to Raheem Sterling, it was very emotional watching him score against Croatia. It's been a difficult season for him so you can see the meaning. I get goosebumps just thinking about it.He looked sharp during the warm-up and his touch was perfect. After the warm-up, someone called me and asked me why I was so happy. I am used to those moments as an England player. But I will always be a fan.It helps me to remember why I fell in love football and why it is what I love.The other day, I gave Manuel Neuer, Germany's goalkeeper, the ball! He was not switched on, so I took over his duties.Jordan Pickford, England's goalkeeper, has asked me to provide timings for warm-ups several times. I can be a ball girl, assistant or cones girl.I joked with some people in the England setup that I was the lucky charm, especially Raheem's...Pickford's communication, Walker’s advice, and Sterling's leadershipKaren Carney stood behind Raheem Sterling's goal against Croatia, and Harry Kane scored England's second victory against Germany at Wembley.I am a higher-up and see things differently when I'm in the commentary section during the Premier League season. As I am now pitchside, I can see Pickford's communication with his backline and hear the players talking to each other.I was trying to find the spaces from my pitch view when I played Germany. Thomas Muller was coming into small pockets, and I noticed that we were slightly anxious to be aggressive and on the front foot. It was fixed and you could clearly see the difference.Jack Grealish was coming in very narrowly and Luke Shaw was playing higher, which led to the goal. Due to my position, I couldn't see Shaw defensively in the first part. However, I was able see Shaw in an attacking sense in the second.He is a quiet player compared to the rest of his backline. But then Pickford and Harry Maguire, John Stones and Kyle Walker have been together effectively since 2018.Pickford is very vocal. Pickford is very vocal. The best goalkeepers I've ever seen are those who organize in front. And that goes for the defenders as well. They don't need to do much if they do it correctly.Karen was reporting from Wembley for BBC Radio 5 Live during the tournamentStones and Pickford could be seen arguing during the Tuesday game. Sometimes they have divergent views. Stones wants to play from the back and receive the ball, while Pickford wants to go long. Pickford doesn't want opposition pressure to build up near England's goal. I can understand that. You can sometimes see them arguing about it.Pickford seemed to trust Stones against Germany more than Pickford, and that is why we got into the game in half one. Stones was brave and receiving the ball. Everyone was calmed down by it.Walker is also a sensation. Walker and Trippier have a great connection. You could see that they are well-connected.Bukayo Saka, against the Czech Republic was outstanding throughout the game but lost his runner once and switched off. Walker walked straight to him, communicating and guiding him. Saka is a young player who is always learning.Sterling is a very selfless frontrunner. He doesn't shout a lot, but I don’t think he does. Harry Kane does, but the main communicators at the back are Harry Kane and the others.Sterling is a leader on the field of play. People often think that those who shout the most are brave, but sometimes it is just picking up the ball and driving at other players.Sterling was the one who lost the ball when Germany's Muller tried to go through one-on-1 for his big chance. Straight away, he fell to his knees. Declan Rice, Trippier and their team picked him up and said "let's try again". He was briefly down for a moment, but his team quickly picked him up.England's Wembley crowd: How they helpedAfter scoring against Germany in the last-16 tie, England players celebrated at Wembley with the crowdIt was amazing to see the crowd at that Germany match. Perhaps we took going to football as a given in the past - fans, players and media. Were we able to forget that football is about moments and being present for them?It was an opportunity that only a few people will ever have, and everyone in the stadium could sense it. Every game has had a great atmosphere, but Tuesday was different.Walker was a great example of how to unite the crowd. Rice shouted at the crowd, and you could tell he was buzzing.These moments are what get the fans moving.It's evident that this England group is very personal. You can see their character, swagger and confidence together.They have a special quality that makes them feel a little bit different.Watch: What England's victory over Germany means to fansKaren Carney spoke to Emma Sanders, BBC Sport. Every month, you can find her column on BBC Sport's website and app.