Spain's national team will play their high-profile semifinal match against France on Tuesday without singing their national anthem.
The historic melody, known as the Marcha Real or Royal March, remains completely devoid of official lyrics.
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According to AS USA, the country has never achieved a unanimous consensus on a set of words for the anthem.
The musical piece originated from an 18th-century military song called the Marcha de Granaderos, which first appeared in 1761.
It was later designated as a March of Honor by Charles III in 1770.
Failed Attempts to Add Lyrics
Historical attempts to establish official lyrics have consistently failed.
A contest commissioned by General Prim in 1870 ended without a winner because judges could not reach a consensus.
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A more recent initiative launched by the Spanish Olympic Committee in 2007 suffered a similar fate. It generated significant controversy across the nation.
A winning text was composed for opera singer Plácido Domingo to perform.
However, the lyrics were abandoned before ever reaching Spain's Congress for approval due to intense public criticism.
The translated lyrics by Paulino Cubero included lines such as: "Long live Spain! Let's all sing together with different voices and one heart.
Long live Spain! From the green valleys to the immense sea, a hymn of brotherhood..."
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Spain shares this unique musical trait with three other European nations. Bosnia Herzegovina, San Marino, and Kosovo also have official national anthems that completely lack lyrics.
