It began as a low hum from the north stand. Dum... dum-dum-dum-dum... dum... dum.

Outside, the lights of the UEFA Champions League final cut through the Munich mist. But inside the tunnel, it was dark, cramped, and smelled of wintergreen rub and nervous sweat. Then, it started.

Jack White’s iconic riff from "Seven Nation Army" didn't need lyrics. The fans had turned the melody into a wordless war cry. It was the unofficial anthem of European football, a song that had traveled from a garage in Detroit to the gilded stadiums of Italy, Spain, and Germany.

The match was a blur of high-speed collisions and desperate sprints. By the 88th minute, the score was locked at 1-1. Elias was exhausted, his lungs burning. He received the ball at midfield, turned, and saw a gap.

"Listen to that," his teammate whispered, adjusting his captain’s armband. "They’re calling for a fight."

Elias looked to his left. The captain of the opposing team, a veteran with three trophies to his name, was tapping his pulse against his thigh in time with the chant. Even the giants felt it. The song was a leveler. It stripped away the sponsorships, the massive contracts, and the tactical boards, leaving only the raw, primitive energy of the match.

: First popularized by Club Brugge fans in Belgium, then adopted by Italy during the 2006 World Cup.