With the final week of the 2026 World Cup upon us, ESPN is taking a deep dive into a Detroit rock anthem beloved by sports fans across the globe.
“The Most Famous Seven Notes in Sports” is a mini-documentary tracing the popularity of the White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army” in soccer stadiums and beyond, starting with its grassroots embrace by fans of Belgium’s Club Brugge more than two decades ago.
Since then, the Jack White-composed riff has become ubiquitous across sports and may even be — as White proposes in ESPN’s doc — the most famous melody in the world.
The Free Press looked back on the “Seven Nation Army” phenomenon in 2018, when the White Stripes song was used as the official introductory music at every match during that summer’s World Cup.
The ESPN mini-doc follows the Friday release of Jack White’s latest solo album, “Frozen Charlotte,” which is accompanied by a tour that will include a first-ever Pine Knob Music Theatre homecoming show on July 25.
You can watch the ESPN video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0D8BvcTxrl8
Contact Detroit Free Press music writer Brian McCollum: 313-223-4450 or bmccollum@freepress.com.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: ESPN explores how a White Stripes riff became a global sports anthem
Reporting by Brian McCollum, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
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By Brian McCollum, Detroit Free Press | USA TODAY Network
