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Anorak News | Eamon Dunphy explains the Spanish national anthem

Eamon Dunphy explains the Spanish national anthem

by | 2nd, July 2012

SO. Why didn’t the victorious Spanish team sing the words to their national anthem before the European Championships final with Italy? That question to you RTE’S Eamon Dunphy. Says he:

“There’s a unity between the Catalans and the Spaniards which is very important. Traditionally Spain have underachieved because the players of Barcelona, and the Basque country, and the Castilians don’t get on. But that rift has been healed by this generation of players. And notably, when the national anthem was being played no Spanish player sang it. I think that was perhaps a recognition that ‘we’ll say nothing, we subscribe to that, and keep quiet.’ For the purposes of football, they have left a culture and their politics in the dressing room and played for their nation.”

That and the fact the Royal Spanish March has no official words to got with the tune…



Posted: 2nd, July 2012 | In: Sports Comment | TrackBack | Permalink