Espérance Sportive De Tunis
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Espérance Sportive de Tunis (), known as ES Tunis or simply EST for short, is a Tunisian professional
sports club A sports club or sporting club, sometimes an athletics club or sports society or sports association, is a group of people formed for the purpose of playing sports. Sports clubs range from organisations whose members play together, unpaid, and ...
founded on 15 January 1919 in the
Bab Souika Bab Souika () is one of the gates of the medina of Tunis. Its location was between Bab El Khadra and Bab Saadoun, near the Halfaouine district and gave its name to the surrounding neighborhood. It functioned as a market gate and controlled th ...
neighborhood of
Tunis Tunis (, ') is the capital city, capital and largest city of Tunisia. The greater metropolitan area of Tunis, often referred to as "Grand Tunis", has about 2,700,000 inhabitants. , it is the third-largest city in the Maghreb region (after Casabl ...
. Its
football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...
section has competed in the Tunisian Professional League 1 continuously since 1936. It is nicknamed "Mkashkha", ''The Elder of Tunisian Clubs'', ''The Blood and Gold Club'' and ''The Beast of Africa'' It is the most successful Tunisian club nationally and internationally in all competitions, with 34 Tunisian Professional League 1 titles (record), the last of which was the 2024–25 season, 16
Tunisian Cup The Tunisian Cup (), formerly known as Tunisian President Cup (1956–2011), is the premier Single-elimination tournament, knockout football competition in Football in Tunisia, Tunisian football, organized annually by the Tunisian Football Federati ...
titles (record), the last of which was the 2024–25 season, and 7
Tunisian Super Cup The Tunisian Super Cup () or the Tunisia Premier Cup () previously called the Tunisian Cup Winners' Cup, is a Tunisian football competition organized by the Tunisian Football Federation. Established in 1960, it combines the champions of the first ...
titles (record), the most recent of which is the 2023–24 edition, the Hedi Shaker Cup in 1968 and the Hamda El Aouani tournament in 1978. At the African level, Esperance won the
CAF Champions League The CAF Champions League, known for sponsorship purposes as the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League and formerly the African Cup of Champions Clubs, is an annual football club (association football), club football competition organized by the Conf ...
title four times in
1994 The year 1994 was designated as the " International Year of the Family" and the "International Year of Sport and the Olympic Ideal" by the United Nations. In the Line Islands and Phoenix Islands of Kiribati, 1994 had only 364 days, omitti ...
,
2011 The year marked the start of a Arab Spring, series of protests and revolutions throughout the Arab world advocating for democracy, reform, and economic recovery, later leading to the depositions of world leaders in Tunisia, Egypt, and Yemen ...
,
2018 Events January * January 1 – Bulgaria takes over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, after the Estonian presidency. * January 4 – SPLM-IO rebels loyal to Chan Garang Lual start a raid against Juba, capital of ...
, 2018–19, the
CAF Cup The CAF Cup was an annual competition organised by the CAF for domestic leagues runners-up of member associations who have not qualified to one of the two pre-existing CAF international club competitions the African Cup of Champions Clubs or t ...
in
1997 Events January * January 1 – The Emergency Alert System is introduced in the United States. * January 11 – Turkey threatens Cyprus on account of a deal to buy Russian S-300 missiles, prompting the Cypriot Missile Crisis. * January 1 ...
, the
CAF Super Cup The CAF Super Cup, known as TotalEnergies CAF Super Cup for sponsorship reasons, is an annual African association football competition contested between the winners of the CAF Champions League and the CAF Confederation Cup. The competition was f ...
in 1995 and the
African Cup Winners' Cup The African Cup Winners' Cup was a football competition that started in 1975 and merged with the CAF Cup in 2004 to form the CAF Confederation Cup. It was a competition between the winning clubs of domestic cups in CAF-affiliated nations and w ...
in
1998 1998 was designated as the ''International Year of the Ocean''. Events January * January 6 – The ''Lunar Prospector'' spacecraft is launched into orbit around the Moon, and later finds evidence for Lunar water, frozen water, in soil i ...
. At the Arab level, Esperance is the most Arab club to have won the
Arab Club Champions Cup The Arab Club Champions Cup (, ) is a club football competition organised by the Union of Arab Football Associations (UAFA) and contested by top clubs from the Arab world. The tournament is contested by a total of 37 teams from Asia and Africa. F ...
title three times (a record) in the
1993 The United Nations General Assembly, General Assembly of the United Nations designated 1993 as: * International Year for the World's Indigenous People The year 1993 in the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands had only 364 days, since its ...
, 2008–09,
2017 2017 was designated as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development by the United Nations General Assembly. Events January * January 1 – Istanbul nightclub shooting: A gunman dressed as Santa Claus opens fire at the ...
editions, and the
Arab Super Cup The Arab Super Cup () was an Arab football (soccer), football competition, held between four teams (the winners and runners-up of both the Arab Champions Cup, Arab Club Champions Cup and the Arab Cup Winners' Cup) each year. History The Arab Supe ...
in 1996. Globally, Esperance won the
Afro-Asian Club Championship The Afro-Asian Club Championship, sometimes referred to as the Afro-Asian Cup, was a football competition endorsed by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and Asian Football Confederation (AFC), contested between the winners of the Africa ...
in 1995. It participated three times in the
FIFA Club World Cup The FIFA Club World Cup (FIFA CWC) is an international men's association football competition organised by the ''Fédération Internationale de Football Association'' (FIFA), the sport's global sports governing body, governing body. The compe ...
in 2011, 2018, and 2019, and was satisfied with fifth place as the best participation. Espérance Sportive de Tunis ranked third in the list of the best African clubs of the twenty-first century compiled by
FIFA The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (), more commonly known by its acronym FIFA ( ), is the international self-regulatory governing body of association football, beach soccer, and futsal. It was founded on 21 May 1904 to o ...
behind
Al Ahly SC Al-Ahly Sporting Club (), commonly known as Al-Ahly, is an List of football clubs in Egypt, Egyptian professional sports club based in Cairo, Egypt. The club is mainly known for its professional Association football, football team which curren ...
and
TP Mazembe Tout Puissant Mazembe, commonly referred to as TP Mazembe, is a Congolese professional association football, football club based in Lubumbashi. History Tout Puissant Mazembe, the first sports club from the Democratic Republic of the Congo with a ...
. The
Confederation of African Football The Confederation of African Football (CAF) is the administrative and controlling body for association football, beach soccer, and futsal in Africa. It was established on 8 February 1957 at the ''Grand Hotel'' in Khartoum, Sudan. At the FIFA Co ...
also chose it as the fifth best African club in the twentieth century, and it topped the ranking of African clubs several times, most recently in 2018. Espérance Sportive de Tunis won the CAF Champions League in 2011 and received the FIFA Fair Play Award at the FIFA Club World Cup in 2019. There is a certain rivalry with
Club Africain Club Africain (), known as CA for short, is a Tunisian professional football club based in Tunis. The club was founded in 1920 and its colours are red and white. Their home stadium, Hammadi Agrebi Stadium, has a capacity of 60,000 spectators. ...
, which it plays against in the Tunis derby every season of the Tunisian Professional League 1 and sometimes the
Tunisian Cup The Tunisian Cup (), formerly known as Tunisian President Cup (1956–2011), is the premier Single-elimination tournament, knockout football competition in Football in Tunisia, Tunisian football, organized annually by the Tunisian Football Federati ...
, and another competition in the Tunisian Clásico with
Étoile Sportive du Sahel Étoile Sportive du Sahel (), known as ES Sahel or simply ESS for short, is a Tunisian football club based in Sousse in the Sahel, Tunisia, Sahel region of Tunisia. Their home stadium, Sousse Olympic Stadium, has a capacity of 50,000 spectators ...
and
CS Sfaxien Club Sportif Sfaxien (), known as CS Sfaxien or simply CSS for short, is a Tunisian football club based in Sfax. The club was founded in 1928 and its colours are black and white (Bianconero). Their home stadium, Taieb Mhiri Stadium, has a capac ...
. Former Esperance player
Tarak Dhiab Tarak Dhiab (; born 15 January 1954) is a Tunisian former association football, footballer and politician. The African Footballer of the Year in 1977, he is listed by the Tunisian Football Federation as having 107 caps for the Tunisia national foo ...
is considered a legend and icon of the club, as he is the most participating player with 427 matches and the all-time top scorer, scoring 127 goals. Tunisian businessman Hamdi Meddeb has been president of the club since 2007, and it has been coached by Romanian coach
Laurențiu Reghecampf Laurențiu Aurelian Reghecampf (born 19 September 1975) is a Romanian professional association football, football manager (association football), manager and former player. Playing career Club Reghecampf was born in Târgoviște and began his ca ...
since November 2024. Espérance de Tunis will host its competitors on the field of the
Hammadi Agrebi Stadium Hammadi Agrebi Stadium (), opened as 7 November Stadium, is a multi-purpose stadium located in the sports city of Radès, located in Radès, in the southern suburb of the city Tunis. The stadium was established in 2001 to host the 2001 Mediterra ...
, located in the city of
Radès Radès () is a harbour city in Ben Arous Governorate, Tunisia. Situated south-east of the capital Tunis, some consider it a Tunis suburb, and parts of the harbor installations of Tunis are located in Radès. Rades is divided into sub cities: ...
, in the southern suburb of the city
Tunis Tunis (, ') is the capital city, capital and largest city of Tunisia. The greater metropolitan area of Tunis, often referred to as "Grand Tunis", has about 2,700,000 inhabitants. , it is the third-largest city in the Maghreb region (after Casabl ...
. After his name, several clubs in the region were named after Esperance, such as
Espérance Sportive de Zarzis Espérance Sportive de Zarzis ( known as ES Zarzis or simply ESZ for short, is a Tunisian football club based in Zarzis. The club was founded in 1934 by Haj Ali Bouchhioua and its colours are yellow, red and black. Their home stadium, Abdessa ...
, Esperance Wadi Al-Nis of Palestine, Esperance Club of Saudi Arabia, Espérance Sportive Troyes of France and Esperance Mostaganem of Algeria. Espérance de Tunis has a wide fan base in Tunisia, not only in the capital but throughout the country. After winning the CAF Champions League title twice in a row, the club's popularity has also appeared in Africa, and fans abroad frame some of its beloved cells such as France, Germany, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. In the
2018 FIFA Club World Cup The 2018 FIFA Club World Cup (officially known as the FIFA Club World Cup UAE 2018 presented by Alibaba Cloud for sponsorship reasons) was the 15th edition of the FIFA Club World Cup, a FIFA-organised international club football tournament between ...
, more than 15,000 supporters were transported to the United Arab Emirates to support the team.


History


Founding and early years

The club was founded at the ''Café de L'Espérance'' () in the
Bab Souika Bab Souika () is one of the gates of the medina of Tunis. Its location was between Bab El Khadra and Bab Saadoun, near the Halfaouine district and gave its name to the surrounding neighborhood. It functioned as a market gate and controlled th ...
neighborhood of
Tunis Tunis (, ') is the capital city, capital and largest city of Tunisia. The greater metropolitan area of Tunis, often referred to as "Grand Tunis", has about 2,700,000 inhabitants. , it is the third-largest city in the Maghreb region (after Casabl ...
, by Muhamed Zouaoui (of Kabyle heritage) and Hédi Kallel. After almost one year of waiting, the authorities granted the founders of Espérance an initial verbal approval to establish the club in January 1919. However, two weeks later, they were required to appoint a
French French may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France ** French people, a nation and ethnic group ** French cuisine, cooking traditions and practices Arts and media * The French (band), ...
president to obtain official authorization, as the regulations at the time mandated that all such clubs be legally chaired by a French national. To comply, they turned to Louis Montassier, a member of the French colonial administration. On 15 January 1919, Espérance was officially registered, marking a moment of great joy for its founders, Muhamed Zouaoui and Hédi Kallel, who successfully established the first Tunisian football club. Its initial colors were green and white . Due to a persistent shortage of green jerseys, Chedly Zouiten stumbled upon a stock of red and yellow jerseys while shopping. They wore these colors for an upcoming match and won. Believing the new colors brought them good luck, the club decided to adopt them permanently. This marked the transition to red and yellow , which became the club's iconic "Sang et Or" colors, a tradition that continues today. Under Zouiten's tenure, which lasted more than three decades, Espérance was nearly on the verge of abandonment until promotion to the honorary division of the League of Tunisia in 1936. Espérance also managed to reach the final of the Tunisian Cup, but were beaten by Stade Gaulois. Two years after its failure against the Stade Gaulois, Espérance won the Tunisian Cup (1939) against the Etoile Sportive du Sahel (4–1), its first ever triumph and title. It was in 1955 that Espérance qualified to represent the Tunisian League in the North African Cup. In the knockout match, two of the five teams were drawn at random to compete against each other and the winner qualifies for the Quarterfinals.
SC Bel Abbès Sporting Club de Bel-Abbès, known as SC Bel-Abbès or simply SCBA for a short, is a French Algerian defunct Association football, football club founded in 1906 in Sidi Bel Abbès. It's considered as the most successful North African club before 1 ...
was a French Algerian Club and the Espérance Sportive de Tunis faced each other, the match took place on 20 February
1955 Events January * January 3 – José Ramón Guizado becomes president of Panama. * January 17 – , the first nuclear-powered submarine, puts to sea for the first time, from Groton, Connecticut. * January 18– 20 – Battle of Yijian ...
, the Tunisian club losing on the score of 2 goals to 1. Between the start of the
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
and independence (1956), the squad quality improved.


An exclusively Muslim club

Football emerged in the Regency of Tunis in the early 1900s. European clubs, largely colonial appendices of metropolitan sports associations, were the only ones to participate in the first Tunisian championship in 1910. Among these were French clubs such as Racing Club de Tunis (founded in 1904), Les Lutins (a society sponsored and funded by the Catholic Church), Sporting Club de Tunis (1908), and Stade Gaulois, as well as Italian clubs (Italia de Tunis, Savoia de Sousse) and Maltese clubs, with the most representative being Mélita-Sports in Tunis. The following years saw this lineup grow with Jeanne d'Arc, Avant Garde, and Stade Tunisois. The Stade Africain, a Franco-Arab club (but predominantly French), was the first to include Tunisian players, recruited from colleges and high schools. After a two-year interruption due to the
World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
, a Franco-Arab Cup was held in 1917, marking the return to competition. During the final between Stade Africain and Stade Tunisois (a club that only accepted Jewish players), violent incidents erupted between the supporters of the two teams. The atmosphere in the stands was filled with latent anti-Semitism: the 14 points of President
Woodrow Wilson Thomas Woodrow Wilson (December 28, 1856February 3, 1924) was the 28th president of the United States, serving from 1913 to 1921. He was the only History of the Democratic Party (United States), Democrat to serve as president during the Prog ...
and the
Balfour Declaration The Balfour Declaration was a public statement issued by the British Government in 1917 during the First World War announcing its support for the establishment of a "national home for the Jewish people" in Palestine, then an Ottoman regio ...
were on the lips of those in the know, and resentment against the Jewish population, who had not been mobilized during the conflict, lingered in the minds of military personnel filling the stands. Following the disturbances between Muslims and Jews, and the anti-Semitic incidents that marred the match, any sports demonstration or mass gathering was banned. Located in the northern part of the Medina, Rue Achour, predominantly Muslim, extended towards Hafsia, an area with a significant Jewish population, fostering interaction between two neighboring groups. These communities, initially adversaries, grew closer and decided to merge their teams, calming the authorities of the French Protectorate. In response, the Union Sportive Tunisienne (UST) was born from the fusion of Stade Tunisois and Stade Africain. This new club would go on to dominate Tunisian football during the interwar period. Muhamed Zouaoui, the goalkeeper for Stade Africain, alongside Hédi Kallel and Othman Ben Soltan, who were advocates for the creation of an "authentically" Muslim club—not just a Tunisian one—met at the "L'Espérance" café on the edge of the Medina
Bab Souika Bab Souika () is one of the gates of the medina of Tunis. Its location was between Bab El Khadra and Bab Saadoun, near the Halfaouine district and gave its name to the surrounding neighborhood. It functioned as a market gate and controlled th ...
. This meeting marked the founding of Espérance Sportive de Tunis. The establishment of this club was in direct response to the creation of the UST, which had been predominantly composed of Jewish players after the departure of Muslim members. Espérance Sportive was officially granted permission by the French authorities on 15 January 1919, and was formed not to oppose a national identity but as a countermeasure to the Jewish community's initiative in Tunisian football. The founding date of Espérance carries special significance in shaping the club's identity. Many football enthusiasts, regardless of which team they support, believe that Espérance is the first Tunisian team to have been created in the country. This sense of authenticity derived from the club's origins contributes to its mythical status: it is often seen as an early commitment to the national movement. The club’s recruitment policy, focused exclusively on Muslim players from the beginning, further solidified its reputation. Despite modest early results, Espérance stood out by its insistence on fielding only Muslim players, in contrast to other Tunisian clubs like UST and
Club Africain Club Africain (), known as CA for short, is a Tunisian professional football club based in Tunis. The club was founded in 1920 and its colours are red and white. Their home stadium, Hammadi Agrebi Stadium, has a capacity of 60,000 spectators. ...
, which fielded French or Italian players. This refusal to have "mixed blood" players and the purity of a team composed solely of local talent positioned Espérance as a symbol of Tunisian nationalism. However, the presence of a French president, Louis Montassier, who was required by French law when forming any association, did somewhat tarnish the club's image among the "Espérantistes," as this affiliation conflicted with the ideals of nationalism. Nevertheless, the authenticity of Espérance Sportive was cemented by its deep-rooted connection to the northern Medina neighborhoods, reinforcing its status as a local, nationalist institution.


First achievements (1936–1956)

In 1936, under the leadership of coach Hammadi Ben Ghasham, Espérance Sportive de Tunis secured promotion to the first division, a status they have never left since. The players who contributed to this achievement in such tough circumstances included: Mohsen El-Khlifi, Al-Arrousi Ettasouri, El-Kafi, Berlabih, El-Riyahi, Larqash, Ben Ghasham, Khalafed, Baalrabi, Cherif, Ben Ghazi, El-Halaibi, Abdelsamad, El-Madhab, and El-Qatousi. During the presidency of Chadhli Zouiten, who led for over three decades, the club almost risked being overlooked before it was promoted to the prestigious league in 1936. Espérance also reached the final of the
Tunisian Cup The Tunisian Cup (), formerly known as Tunisian President Cup (1956–2011), is the premier Single-elimination tournament, knockout football competition in Football in Tunisia, Tunisian football, organized annually by the Tunisian Football Federati ...
, but they were defeated by Stade Guelma. After Two years of setbacks against Stade Guelma, Espérance achieved victory in the 1938–39
Tunisian Cup The Tunisian Cup (), formerly known as Tunisian President Cup (1956–2011), is the premier Single-elimination tournament, knockout football competition in Football in Tunisia, Tunisian football, organized annually by the Tunisian Football Federati ...
, triumphing 4–1 over their archrival
Étoile Sportive du Sahel Étoile Sportive du Sahel (), known as ES Sahel or simply ESS for short, is a Tunisian football club based in Sousse in the Sahel, Tunisia, Sahel region of Tunisia. Their home stadium, Sousse Olympic Stadium, has a capacity of 50,000 spectators ...
. In 1955, the club advanced to represent the Tunisian Football League in the
North African Championship The North African Championship, commonly referred as ULNA Champions League is an old football competition organized in North Africa since 1920 to 1956, it pits only the champions of the North Africa, North African Leagues against each other at th ...
. In the knockout phase, two teams were drawn randomly to face off, with the winner progressing to the semi-finals.
Wydad Athletic Club Wydad Athletic Club (, ), often known outside Morocco as Wydad Casablanca, is a Moroccan sports club based in Casablanca. Wydad AC is best known for its professional football team that competes in Botola, the top tier of the Moroccan football l ...
from the Moroccan league and Espérance Sportive de Tunis were drawn together, with the match held in Tunis on 15 May 1955. Espérance lost 2–1. From the beginning of
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
to
Tunisian independence Tunisian independence was a process that occurred from 1952 to 1956 between France and an independence movement, led by Habib Bourguiba. He became the first Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Tunisia after negotiations with France successfully bro ...
, the club's strength was felt all across the country. Espérance emerged as the dominant club, reinforced by Algerian players like
Abdelaziz Ben Tifour Abdelaziz Ben Tifour (; – ) was a professional-Algerian footballer who played as a midfielder. Life and career He was a pioneer of Algerian football playing in Tunisia and France in the 40s and 50s as well as establishing the first Algeri ...
. At this point, French, Italian, and Maltese clubs, which had previously ruled Tunisian football, had to accept Espérance Sportive de Tunis as the top club in Tunisia.


Post independence 1956

The titles (champion in 1958 and 1960 and winner of the cup in 1957) but also the style of play explain the popular enthusiasm. Attacking football was abandoned in 1963 following the passage of Ben Azzedine as coach. The latter opted for Italian-style defensive principles. In 1971, violent riots occurred in
Stade El Menzah El Menzah Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium, located in El Menzah, Tunis, Tunisia. The stadium was established in 1967 on the occasion of the 1967 Mediterranean Games on the ruins of Vélodrome Stadium. Its capacity is 39,858 spectators. Hist ...
by Espérance supporters following the final lost against the Club Sportive Sfaxien (historic goal of Abdelwahed Trabelsi in the first minute of the game). The authorities then sanctioned Espérance and withdrew the right to play in the first division.


Slim Chiboub era and national dominance (1989–2004)

Slim Chiboub took charge of the club in 1989. Quickly, he kept one of his promises with a double in 1990–1991. In 1993, he won international and local titles. Espérance also won its first regional cup, the
Arab Club Champions Cup The Arab Club Champions Cup (, ) is a club football competition organised by the Union of Arab Football Associations (UAFA) and contested by top clubs from the Arab world. The tournament is contested by a total of 37 teams from Asia and Africa. F ...
, becoming the first Tunisian team to do so in 1993. The following year, the club won its first CAF Champions League at the expense of defending champion
Zamalek Zamalek ( , ''al zamalek'') is a ''qism'' (ward) within the West District (''hayy gharb'') in the Western Area of Cairo, Egypt. It is an affluent district on a man-made island which is geologically a part of the west bank of the Nile River, wit ...
. In 1995, EST won the CAF Super Cup as well as the Afro-Asian Cup, becoming the first Tunisian club to win all possible continental titles. Espérance Sportive de Tunis won ten Tunisian league titles, including seven successive titles between 1998 and 2004 and set a new national record.


Hamdi Meddeb era and sustained success (2007–present)

Between 2005 and 2007, Aziz Zouhir led the club, which won the double (championship and cup) in 2006. In 2007, Hamdi Meddeb took charge of the club. He focused on boosting Espérance financially and recruiting African and Tunisian talents. The 2010–2011 season Espérance completed a historical treble by winning the League, National Cup and the African Champions League, under coach
Nabil Maâloul Nabil Maâloul (; born 25 December 1962) is a Tunisian professional Manager (association football), football manager and former Football player, footballer who played as a midfielder for the Tunisia national football team, Tunisia national team. ...
. Following this success, a new committee chaired by Hamdi Meddeb was elected on 25 September 2011 for a three-year term. However, Maâloul resigned after a sixth place in the
FIFA Club World Cup The FIFA Club World Cup (FIFA CWC) is an international men's association football competition organised by the ''Fédération Internationale de Football Association'' (FIFA), the sport's global sports governing body, governing body. The compe ...
. However, the team lost the 2012 CAF Champions League final to
Al Ahly Al-Ahly Sporting Club (), commonly known as Al-Ahly, is an Egyptian professional sports club based in Cairo, Egypt. The club is mainly known for its professional football team which currently plays in the Egyptian Premier League, the highest ...
, and the team star Youssef Msakni was sold to Qatari club
Lekhwiya Al-Duhail Sports Club (), formerly Lekhwiya SC, is a Qatari sports club, best known for its football team, which plays in the Qatar Stars League. The club is based in the Duhail district in the city of Doha and plays its home games at Abdull ...
for 23 million Tunisian dinars. On 6 August 2017, the club won their fourth Arab title and third Arab club championship by beating the Jordanian side Al Faisaly (3–2) after extra time. After winning its 28 league title on 8 April, Espérance won its third CAF Champions League against Al Ahly despite a defeat (3–1) on the home soil of the eight-time African champions in the first leg. In the second match, the Tunisians won with a score of 3–0, in front of a crowd of 60,000 people, with goals from
Saad Bguir Saad Abdellah Bguir (; born 22 March 1994) is a Tunisian people, Tunisian professional association football, footballer for Saudi Pro League club Al Wehda FC, Al-Wehda. Club career In the 2014–15 season, Stade Gabésien went all the way to t ...
and
Anice Badri Anice Badri (; born 18 September 1990) is a Tunisian professional footballer who plays for UAE Third Division League club AFC as a forward. Club career Anice Badri spent his childhood in Lyon, his hometown. At the age of 13, he joined the O ...
. With the help of the young coach Moïne Chaâbani the club clinched the third Champions League in its history, a few months before its centenary on 15 January 2019. The club ended the 2018–2019 season as African champions for the fourth time after winning the CAF Champions League against Wydad (1–1 away and 1–0 at home), due to Wydad refusing to play in protest of VAR decision.


Building a new generation (2008–2010)

In this context, the club aims to recruit one African star per year, following the example of
Michael Eneramo Michael Eneramo (born 26 November 1985) is a Nigerian former professional footballer who played as a striker. Club career Eneramo began his career with Lobi Stars and was in 2004 scouted by Tunisian top club Espérance Sportive de Tunis, h ...
. Over the years, Espérance signed several African and Tunisian internationals, including Harrison Afful from
Feyenoord Feyenoord Rotterdam () is a Netherlands, Dutch professional association football, football club based in Rotterdam, which plays in the Eredivisie, the top tier in Dutch football league system, Dutch football. Founded as Wilhelmina in 1908, the ...
in the Netherlands and a member of the Ghana national team, Eneramo (from the
Nigeria national football team The Nigeria national football team represents Nigeria in Men's international Association football, football. Governed by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), they are three-time Africa Cup of Nations (Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON) winners, w ...
),
Khaled Korbi Khaled Korbi (born 16 December 1985) is a retired Tunisian professional footballer who played as a central midfielder in his club career and for the Tunisia national team. Club career On June 6, 2012, Korbi joined Qatar Stars League club A ...
and
Youssef Msakni Youssef Msakni (; born 28 October 1990) is a Tunisian professional footballer who plays as a winger or forward for Qatar Stars League club Al Arabi, and captains the Tunisia national team. Msakni has played over 100 matches and scored 23 g ...
(from
Stade Tunisien Stade Tunisien (; ), abbreviated as ST, is a football club based in Le Bardo, a western suburb of Tunis (formerly the residence of the Beylical patronage). It is considered one of the top teams in the Tunis region, alongside Espérance Sportive ...
and both members of the
Tunisia national football team The Tunisia national football team, controlled by the Tunisian Football Federation (TFF), represents Tunisia in men's international association football competitions. On a continental level, the team competes under the Confederation of African ...
),
Mejdi Traoui Mejdi Traoui (born December 13, 1983, in Sousse) is a Tunisian footballer. Career On May 1, 2008, Traoui signed a contract at Red Bull Salzburg until summer 2011. He made two substitute appearances in the Austrian Bundesliga for Red Bull Salzbu ...
(from Red Bull Salzburg and a member of the Tunisia national team), Dramane Traoré from
FC Lokomotiv Moscow FC Lokomotiv Moscow (, ) is a Russian professional association football, football club based in Moscow. Lokomotiv have won the Russian Premier League on three occasions; the Soviet Cup twice; and the Russian Cup (football), Russian Cup a record ...
and a member of the
Mali national football team The Mali national football team ( Bambara: '' Mali jamana ntolatantɔn'', ) represents Mali in men's international football and is governed by the Malian Football Federation. The team's nickname is Les Aigles. They represent the country at tou ...
, and Yannick N'Djeng for 700,000 euros. With these players, the club won the Tunisian Cup in 2008 and 2011, as well as the championship in the 2008–2009, 2009–2010, 2010–2011, and 2011–2012 seasons, in addition to the
2009 North African Cup Winners Cup The 2009 North African Cup Winners Cup was the second edition of the competition initiated in 2008 by the UNAF. CS Sfaxien of Tunisia were crowned champions after defeating Ahly Benghazi of Libya in the final on the away goals rule. Participating ...
and the Arab Champions League 2008-2009. They were also finalists in the
CAF Champions League 2010 The 2010 CAF Champions League was the 46th edition of Africa's premier club football tournament organized by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), and the 14th edition under the current CAF Champions League format. The winner, TP Mazembe q ...
. However, Meddeb's policy was not limited to recruiting football players: he hired coach Faouzi Benzarti and later the club's own
Nabil Maâloul Nabil Maâloul (; born 25 December 1962) is a Tunisian professional Manager (association football), football manager and former Football player, footballer who played as a midfielder for the Tunisia national football team, Tunisia national team. ...
in December 2010.


Historic treble (2011)

The 2010–2011 season marked a pinnacle in the history of Espérance Sportive de Tunis, as they achieved a remarkable treble. The club clinched the
2010–11 Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1 The 2010–11 Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1(''Tunisian Professional League'') season was the 85th season of top-tier football in Tunisia. The competition began on 24 July 2010, and will conclude on 8 May 2011. The defending champions from the ...
, the 2010–2011
Tunisian Cup The Tunisian Cup (), formerly known as Tunisian President Cup (1956–2011), is the premier Single-elimination tournament, knockout football competition in Football in Tunisia, Tunisian football, organized annually by the Tunisian Football Federati ...
, and most notably, the prestigious
2011 CAF Champions League The 2011 CAF Champions League (also known as the 2011 Orange CAF Champions League for sponsorship reasons) was the 47th edition of Africa's premier club football tournament organized by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), and the 15th ed ...
, a triumph that cemented their dominance in African football. This marked a pinnacle in the history of Espérance Sportive de Tunis, as they achieved a remarkable treble, the first-ever in Tunisian club football history. Following this unprecedented success, the club's leadership saw a change, with a new board of directors, led by Hamdi Meddeb, elected on 25 September 2011 for a three-year mandate. Despite this leadership shift, the club's fortunes faced a setback. Coach
Nabil Maâloul Nabil Maâloul (; born 25 December 1962) is a Tunisian professional Manager (association football), football manager and former Football player, footballer who played as a midfielder for the Tunisia national football team, Tunisia national team. ...
resigned after the team's disappointing sixth-place finish in the
2011 FIFA Club World Cup The 2011 FIFA Club World Cup (officially known as the FIFA Club World Cup Japan 2011 presented by Toyota for sponsorship reasons) was a football tournament that was played from 8 to 18 December 2011. It was the eighth edition of the FIFA Club Worl ...
, a tournament where Espérance had hoped to make a stronger impact.


Arab and African glory: Espérance de Tunis' historic centenary (2016–2019)

The 2016–2017 season marked the arrival of several key players such as
Ferjani Sassi Ferjani Sassi (; born 18 March 1992) is a Tunisian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Qatar Stars League club Al-Gharafa and the Tunisia national team. Club career Sassi started his career with CS Sfaxien where he won the Tu ...
, Mohamed Ali Moncer,
Anice Badri Anice Badri (; born 18 September 1990) is a Tunisian professional footballer who plays for UAE Third Division League club AFC as a forward. Club career Anice Badri spent his childhood in Lyon, his hometown. At the age of 13, he joined the O ...
, Mohamed Zaabia, and Hichem Belkaroui. The team finished the first phase of the league in the top spot. In January 2017, the club decided to replace Souayah with Faouzi Benzarti, believing that under his leadership, the team could clinch the
CAF Champions League The CAF Champions League, known for sponsorship purposes as the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League and formerly the African Cup of Champions Clubs, is an annual football club (association football), club football competition organized by the Conf ...
. On 18 May, the club won their 27th Tunisian championship title with a 3–0 victory against
Étoile Sportive du Sahel Étoile Sportive du Sahel (), known as ES Sahel or simply ESS for short, is a Tunisian football club based in Sousse in the Sahel, Tunisia, Sahel region of Tunisia. Their home stadium, Sousse Olympic Stadium, has a capacity of 50,000 spectators ...
. The team lost in the semi-finals of the 2016–2017
Tunisian Cup The Tunisian Cup (), formerly known as Tunisian President Cup (1956–2011), is the premier Single-elimination tournament, knockout football competition in Football in Tunisia, Tunisian football, organized annually by the Tunisian Football Federati ...
to
Union sportive de Ben Guerdane Union Sportive de Ben Guerdane (), known as US Ben Guerdane or simply USBG, is a Tunisian football club, based in the city of Ben Guerdane in southeast Tunisia. The club was founded in 1936 and its colours are yellow and black. Their home stadiu ...
. Having finished the group stage in first place, the team faced
Al Ahly Al-Ahly Sporting Club (), commonly known as Al-Ahly, is an Egyptian professional sports club based in Cairo, Egypt. The club is mainly known for its professional football team which currently plays in the Egyptian Premier League, the highest ...
in the quarter-finals of the Champions League. On 6 August, the club won their fourth Arab title and third
2017 Arab Club Championship The 2017 Arab Club Championship was the 27th season of the Arab World's inter-club football tournament organised by UAFA, and the first season since it was renamed from the UAFA Club Cup to the Arab Club Championship. The competition was won by ...
after defeating
Al-Faisaly SC Al-Faisaly Sports Club () is a Jordanian professional Association football, football club based in Amman. Founded in 1932, the club competes in the Jordanian Pro League, the top flight of Football in Jordan, Jordanian football. Nicknamed "the B ...
(3–2) after extra time. During the transfer window, the club signed Franck Kom, Maher Bessghaier,
Michael Eneramo Michael Eneramo (born 26 November 1985) is a Nigerian former professional footballer who played as a striker. Club career Eneramo began his career with Lobi Stars and was in 2004 scouted by Tunisian top club Espérance Sportive de Tunis, h ...
, and
Änis Ben-Hatira Änis Ben-Hatira (born 18 July 1988) is a Tunisian professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for German Regionalliga club Hertha BSC II. Between 2012 and 2016 he made 12 appearances for the Tunisia national team scoring one ...
; Haythem Jouini returned after his loan at Club Deportivo Tenerife. After a draw in
Egypt Egypt ( , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country spanning the Northeast Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to northe ...
(2–2), the team lost at home to
Al Ahly Al-Ahly Sporting Club (), commonly known as Al-Ahly, is an Egyptian professional sports club based in Cairo, Egypt. The club is mainly known for its professional football team which currently plays in the Egyptian Premier League, the highest ...
(2–1), thus being eliminated from the quarter-finals of the Champions League. Despite good results that saw the club finish first in the first half of the
2017–18 Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1 The 2017–18 Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1 (''Tunisian Professional League'') season was the 92nd season of top-tier football in Tunisia. The season calendar was drawn on July 24. The competition started on August 15. Teams A total of 14 teams ...
, Faouzi Benzarti resigned under pressure from fans, who blamed him for the team's poor performances despite the victories.
Mondher Kebaier Mondher Kebaier (; born 2 April 1970) is a Tunisian association football, football coach and former player who is the manager of Club Africain. Career Formerly a player at hometown club CA Bizertin, Kebaier became manager of the club in 2000, f ...
briefly took over as coach before Khaled Ben Yahia returned. After several positive results, including a 3–2 victory against
Étoile Sportive du Sahel Étoile Sportive du Sahel (), known as ES Sahel or simply ESS for short, is a Tunisian football club based in Sousse in the Sahel, Tunisia, Sahel region of Tunisia. Their home stadium, Sousse Olympic Stadium, has a capacity of 50,000 spectators ...
and an away win against
CS Sfaxien Club Sportif Sfaxien (), known as CS Sfaxien or simply CSS for short, is a Tunisian football club based in Sfax. The club was founded in 1928 and its colours are black and white (Bianconero). Their home stadium, Taieb Mhiri Stadium, has a capac ...
(2–0), the club secured their 28th title on 8 April, three matches before the end of the season. ES Tunis won their third
CAF Champions League The CAF Champions League, known for sponsorship purposes as the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League and formerly the African Cup of Champions Clubs, is an annual football club (association football), club football competition organized by the Conf ...
title against
Al Ahly Al-Ahly Sporting Club (), commonly known as Al-Ahly, is an Egyptian professional sports club based in Cairo, Egypt. The club is mainly known for its professional football team which currently plays in the Egyptian Premier League, the highest ...
despite a 3–1 loss in the first leg on the pitch of the eight-time African champions; this match was marked by controversial decisions from referee Algerian Mehdi Abid Charef, who awarded two penalties to Al Ahly despite the presence of VAR, followed by media outrage. In the return match, the Tunisians won 3–0 in front of a crowd of 60,000 people, with standout performances from
Saad Bguir Saad Abdellah Bguir (; born 22 March 1994) is a Tunisian people, Tunisian professional association football, footballer for Saudi Pro League club Al Wehda FC, Al-Wehda. Club career In the 2014–15 season, Stade Gabésien went all the way to t ...
and
Anice Badri Anice Badri (; born 18 September 1990) is a Tunisian professional footballer who plays for UAE Third Division League club AFC as a forward. Club career Anice Badri spent his childhood in Lyon, his hometown. At the age of 13, he joined the O ...
. This victory secured the club's third Champions League title in history, just months before its centenary. They lost to
Raja CA Raja Club Athletic, widely known as Raja Casablanca or simply Raja, is a Football team, football club based in Casablanca, Morocco, that competes in Botola, the top flight of Moroccan football league system, Moroccan football. Founded on 20 M ...
on 30 March 2019, in the
CAF Super Cup The CAF Super Cup, known as TotalEnergies CAF Super Cup for sponsorship reasons, is an annual African association football competition contested between the winners of the CAF Champions League and the CAF Confederation Cup. The competition was f ...
after a goal by Abdelilah Hafidi, followed by an equalizer from
Youcef Belaïli Mohamed Youcef Belaïli (; born 14 March 1992) is an Algerian professional footballer who plays as a left winger for club Espérance de Tunis and the Algeria national team. Early life Belaïli was born on 14 March 1992 in Oran. He started play ...
, and finally, a second goal by Badr Benoun for Raja. After winning the
2018–19 Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1 The 2018–19 Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1 (''Tunisian Professional League'') season was the 93rd season of top-tier football in Tunisia. The defending champions from the previous season are Espérance de Tunis. The competition began on 18 Aug ...
, the club finished the 2018–2019 season as African champions for the fourth time after winning the
2018–19 CAF Champions League The 2018–19 CAF Champions League (officially the 2018–19 Total CAF Champions League for sponsorship reasons) was the 55th edition of Africa's premier club football tournament organized by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), and the 2 ...
against
Wydad AC Wydad Athletic Club (, ), often known outside Morocco as Wydad Casablanca, is a Moroccan sports club based in Casablanca. Wydad AC is best known for its professional Association football, football team that competes in Botola, the top tier of th ...
.


Colors and symbols


Logos throughout history

File:Logo 1919.png, 1919 File:Logo 1924.png, 1924 File:Logo EST 1950.jpg, 1950 File:Logo 1969.jpg, 1969 File:Logo 1987.jpg, 1987 File:Espérance Sportive de Tunis logo.png, 2020–present


Red and yellow

During the first year of its establishment, Espérance played in white and green, their uniform green with the elegance of the shirt and hands and black veil, due to a persistent shortage of green jerseys. Chadli Zouiten's share was the red and yellow sports uniforms, which were better than Esperance's uniforms. He gifted them to Esperance, and since then red and yellow become their official colors.


Kit manufacturers and shirt sponsors


Presidents

* Source:''
www.est.org.tn
File:Mohamed melki.jpg, Mohamed Malki. File:Mohamed zouaoui.jpg, Mohamed Zouaoui. File:Mustapha Kaak.jpg, Mustapha Kaak. File:HassenBelkhodja.jpg, Hassen Belkhodja. File:Hamdi meddeb.jpg, Hamdi Meddeb.


Managers

Morocco vs Gabon, Roger Lemerre, March 28 2009.jpg, Roger Lemerre Antoni Piechniczek VII kadencja Kancelaria Senatu.jpg, Antoni Piechniczek Nabil Maâloul.JPG, Nabil Maâloul Faouzi Benzarti au Raja (cropped).jpg, Faouzi Benzarti Radhi Jaidi 2019.jpg, Radhi Jaïdi Mouine Chaabani.jpg, Mouine Chaabani Laurențiu Reghecampf 2013.jpg, Laurențiu Reghecampf
* Source:''
www.est.org.tn


Competition topscorers


List of Tunisian Ligue 1 Top scorers

Taha Yassine Khenissi.jpg, Taha Yassine Khenissi Haythem Jouini.jpg, Haythem Jouini Mohamed Ali Ben Hammouda.jpg, Mohamed Ali Ben Hammouda


Budget

In 2012, the club's budget amounted to 7.6 million
euro The euro (currency symbol, symbol: euro sign, €; ISO 4217, currency code: EUR) is the official currency of 20 of the Member state of the European Union, member states of the European Union. This group of states is officially known as the ...
s. It then increased to 9.398 million euros in 2013 and 12.17 million euros in 2014, and finally reached 17.6 million euros in 2018. By the 2022–2023 season, the club's budget reached 50 million Tunisian dinars (approximately 16 million euros). In a major milestone, Espérance Sportive de Tunis became the first Tunisian sports club to be listed on the Tunis Stock Exchange through its parent company, Taraji Holding, on 31 December 2024. This strategic move is expected to diversify revenue sources, promote financial transparency, and support sustainable growth. Specific figures for the 2024 and 2025 budgets have not yet been disclosed but are anticipated to surpass prior records.


Marketing

In recent years, the club has developed its marketing policy as part of the "Perspectives 2019" project, which allows the club to develop an economic division to diversify its funding sources. After several seasons with
Nike Nike often refers to: * Nike, Inc., a major American producer of athletic shoes, apparel, and sports equipment * Nike (mythology), a Greek goddess who personifies victory Nike may also refer to: People * Nike (name), a surname and feminine giv ...
,
Umbro Umbro is an English sports equipment manufacturer founded in 1924 in Wilmslow, Cheshire, and based in Manchester. They specialise in football and rugby sportswear featuring their ''Double Diamond'' logo. Umbro products are sold in over 100 c ...
became the official sponsor of the team at the start of the 2017–2018 season. And in 2022,
Kappa Kappa (; uppercase Κ, lowercase κ or cursive ; , ''káppa'') is the tenth letter of the Greek alphabet, representing the voiceless velar plosive sound in Ancient and Modern Greek. In the system of Greek numerals, has a value of 20. It was d ...
became the official kit supplier and partner of the club, marking the beginning of a new chapter in the team's branding and merchandise strategy.


Taraji Store

On 29 June 2012, the Taraji Store, the official store for merchandise of Espérance sportive de Tunis, was officially launched. In January 2017, on the occasion of the club's 98th anniversary, Riadh Bennour announced that two new sales points would be installed. Since then, several sales points have been established across the national territory. Additionally, the Taraji Store website offers the possibility to deliver its products both in Tunisia and internationally. In 2025, to commemorate the club's 106th anniversary, Espérance sportive de Tunis released special third and fourth kits. The third kit features a white base with metallic golden logos and green detailing, while the fourth kit is in military brown-green with white logos and a gold club crest. These kits are available for purchase through the Taraji Store.


Taraji Holding

In December 2024, Taraji Holding, the economic and financial structure of Espérance sportive de Tunis, officially submitted its dossier for listing on the Tunis Stock Exchange. This marks a historic move, as it is the first time a sports club in Tunisia has established an entity structured and oriented towards the financial market, aiming for sustainable finances.


Taraji Mobile

The Taraji Mobile offer was launched in early 2014 following an agreement between the operator
Tunisie Telecom Tunisie Telecom is the incumbent telecom operator in Tunisia. Tunisie Telecom has more than 6 million subscribers in the fixed and mobile telephony, in Tunisia and abroad. History Tunisie Telecom has an important role in improving the rate of ...
and Espérance sportive de Tunis. SIM cards in the club's colors have since been made available to supporters with benefits. Additionally, the official YouTube channel of Taraji Mobile continues to provide supporters with the latest updates and promotional content related to the mobile offer.


Taraji+

In 2022, the club launched Taraji+, its new mobile application, on
iOS Ios, Io or Nio (, ; ; locally Nios, Νιός) is a Greek island in the Cyclades group in the Aegean Sea. Ios is a hilly island with cliffs down to the sea on most sides. It is situated halfway between Naxos and Santorini. It is about long an ...
and
Android Android most commonly refers to: *Android (robot), a humanoid robot or synthetic organism designed to imitate a human * Android (operating system), a mobile operating system primarily developed by Google * Android TV, a operating system developed ...
. Upon its release, the Taraji+ application achieved a significant milestone by surpassing 100,000 downloads within just two days, reflecting its immediate popularity among fans. This new application allows users to follow all the club's news and access the latest photos, videos, and podcasts. Additionally, the premium version offers subscribers other advantages, such as early access to ''Taraji Live'', the club's daily show, as well as all multimedia content, interviews, news, and behind-the-scenes footage of the club. The first year allows the club to generate an estimated profit of ten million dinars. In December 2024, the official application of Espérance Sportive de Tunis, known as Taraji+, was updated to version 2.8. This update enhanced the app's features, providing fans with improved access to the latest news, match schedules, and scores of the club.


Popular culture


''Tarajji ya dawla''

This slogan, which made the stands of the Chedly Zouiten stadium vibrate or set ablaze the Espérance supporters in the
El Menzah Stadium El Menzah Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium, located in El Menzah, Tunis, Tunisia. The stadium was established in 1967 on the occasion of the 1967 Mediterranean Games on the ruins of Vélodrome Stadium. Its capacity is 39,858 spectators. Histo ...
, is symptomatic of the degree of identification between the team of the "sang et or" (red and gold) and the Bourguibist regime. Often hastily and reductively translated as "State," the term dawla here refers more broadly to power, to supremacy based on superior force. The State is not just a theatrical dialogue element, a metaphor intended to signify the unchallenged domination of a particularist group over others..." The club is not merely a team to whom the paternity of Tunisian football is owed. It would also, and above all, be a political actor, sometimes serving as a banner of sport—and beyond—of the Tunisian state, and sometimes as an instrument of formation and education contributing to the building of the new independent state.


Support

ES Tunis is supported throughout Tunisia and in the Tunisian diaspora in
Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...
, the
Middle East The Middle East (term originally coined in English language) is a geopolitical region encompassing the Arabian Peninsula, the Levant, Turkey, Egypt, Iran, and Iraq. The term came into widespread usage by the United Kingdom and western Eur ...
and
North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere, Northern and Western Hemisphere, Western hemispheres. North America is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South Ameri ...
. The club has over 1.6 million followers on Facebook.


Supporter groups

Officially, the club's fans and supporters are framed by the Espérance Sportive de Tunis, but many ultras groups have appeared alongside it that organize the club's income during major interviews. The oldest group of them is the Ultras L'Emkachkhines, which belong to the ultras movement but do not have any legal system as is the case for the European bands' lovers groups. We also find the Supras, which appeared in 2004, the Blood & Gold group appeared in 2005, Zapatista Esperanza in 2007 and Torcida in 2008, and in the same year the Matadors group appeared. In 2009 the Fedayn, Ayounos Algres and Strano Boys group appeared, and in 2010 the Los guerreros group, the Resista Armada group and others... All of these groups share the southern runways behind a guard the goal under the banner of Curva Sud. Among the acronics that some of these groups raise is A.C.A.B, which is also raised by other groups in Europe and even in Tunisia. The elderly Ultras made many incomes and carcasses and created more than 35 for them at the local level only, without counting the years of repression from 2009 to 2011 when Ultras in Tunisia were prevented from entering.


Ultras L'Emkachkhines

Ultras L'Emkachkhines, and its symbol (ULE02), is an ultras group established in 2002 by a group of fans of Espérance Sportive de Tunis. Ultras was established in the summer of 2002, and it was the result of the idea of a group of Esperance fans who love the team and were influenced by the activity of long-standing ultras groups in Europe, such as Ultras Romani and Fossa Dei Leoni. After many consultations and discussions via the Internet, they decided to organize Their first meeting was in the Tunisian capital, where it was agreed to establish the group under the name Ultras Giallorosso, but soon the name was changed through a proposal by one of the members to replace the word Galloroso with L'Emkachkhines for the symbolism of this word among the supporters of Esperance and to impart a spirit of belonging and identity More for the group, and the image of the warrior leader Geranimo was chosen as the group's emblem. Ultras L'Emkachkhines had the first match and the initiation of creativity in the Esperance match against the Egyptian
Zamalek Zamalek ( , ''al zamalek'') is a ''qism'' (ward) within the West District (''hayy gharb'') in the Western Area of Cairo, Egypt. It is an affluent district on a man-made island which is geologically a part of the west bank of the Nile River, wit ...
in 2002.


Ultras Zapatista Esperanza 2007

Zapatista Esperanza (ZE07), the ultras group supporting Esperance Sportive de Tunis, was founded on 23 June 2007. symbols are (siamo solo noi) and (no justice no peace). The name comes from the
Zapatista National Liberation Army The Zapatista Army of National Liberation (, EZLN), often referred to as the Zapatistas (), is a far-left political and militant group that controls a substantial amount of territory in Chiapas, the southernmost state of Mexico. Since 1994, t ...
(Ejército Zapatista de Liberación Nacional, EZLN) which is an armed revolutionary group from the state of Chiapas in southern Mexico. The movement takes the name of
Emiliano Zapata Emiliano Zapata Salazar (; 8 August 1879 – 10 April 1919) was a Mexican revolutionary. He was a leading figure in the Mexican Revolution of 1910–1920, the main leader of the people's revolution in the Mexican state of Morelos, and the insp ...
– one of the leaders of the Mexican Revolution of 1910. It is considered the most mysterious group in Africa and one of the most dangerous, as it was classified as a criminal gang by the former Tunisian Ministry of Interior.


Accidents


Tragedy of 13 June 1971

The tragedy of 13 June 1971, when the red and yellow lost the
Tunisian Cup The Tunisian Cup (), formerly known as Tunisian President Cup (1956–2011), is the premier Single-elimination tournament, knockout football competition in Football in Tunisia, Tunisian football, organized annually by the Tunisian Football Federati ...
final against
CS Sfaxien Club Sportif Sfaxien (), known as CS Sfaxien or simply CSS for short, is a Tunisian football club based in Sfax. The club was founded in 1928 and its colours are black and white (Bianconero). Their home stadium, Taieb Mhiri Stadium, has a capac ...
at
El Menzah Stadium El Menzah Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium, located in El Menzah, Tunis, Tunisia. The stadium was established in 1967 on the occasion of the 1967 Mediterranean Games on the ruins of Vélodrome Stadium. Its capacity is 39,858 spectators. Histo ...
, ignited violent riots among Espérance Sportive de Tunis supporters. The aftermath resulted in significant human and material losses. The disturbance led the Minister of Interior and Sports at the time to order the dissolution of the team. It wasn't until President Habib Bourguiba intervened and issued a decree to reinstate the club into the sports arena that Espérance was brought back to the national stage. The incident marked a turning point for Tunisian football, exposing the deep tensions between football clubs and their supporters, and highlighting the challenges of maintaining order at high-stakes matches. In the years following the tragedy, Espérance worked hard to restore its reputation and secure its place as one of the dominant forces in Tunisian football. The club implemented reforms aimed at fostering positive relations with fans and ensuring better management of matches to prevent such violent outbreaks from occurring again. The tragic events of 1971 serve as a reminder of how the passion surrounding football can turn destructive when not carefully managed, and the critical role of leadership in guiding the club through crises. The lessons learned from that tragic day helped shape the club's policies and strategies for dealing with fans and ensuring the safety of all those involved in the sport.


Death of Hedi Berkhissa

One of the most tragic incidents in the club's history occurred on 4 January 1997, during a friendly match between Espérance and French side Olympique Lyon, Lyon at Stade Chedli Zouiten. In the final minutes of the match,Hédi Berkhissa, a beloved player, suffered a heart attack on the field and died. His sudden death deeply affected the Tunisian football community, and his legacy remains an important part of Espérance's history.


The events of 8 April 2010

Espérance Sportive de Tunis experienced a major incident on 8 April 2010, in a highly charged match against CS Hammam-Lif at
El Menzah Stadium El Menzah Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium, located in El Menzah, Tunis, Tunisia. The stadium was established in 1967 on the occasion of the 1967 Mediterranean Games on the ruins of Vélodrome Stadium. Its capacity is 39,858 spectators. Histo ...
. The game, which ended in a dramatic 3–3 draw, became infamous for the violent clashes between supporters and security forces. The atmosphere was already tense due to the high stakes of the match, which led to widespread frustration among the fans when the lights at the stadium went out during the game. The power outage further exacerbated the situation, leading to riots that resulted in several injuries and the arrest of many individuals. The fans were upset by the circumstances surrounding the match, which included the disruption caused by the lights going out at a crucial point in the game. The unrest spilled outside the stadium and turned into violent confrontations with the police, leaving a significant impact on both the club's supporters and the broader football community. This event marked a high point of tension between the club's passionate supporters and the authorities, symbolizing the deep frustrations among fans about the perceived injustices in Tunisian Football Federation. The incident had a lasting effect on the relationship between Espérance Sportive de Tunis fans and the security forces, highlighting the challenges of managing large-scale football events with such intense emotional investment from the supporters.


Infrastructure


Stadiums


Stade Hammadi Agrebi

* Stade Olympique Hammadi Agrebi, originally named Stade 7 November, is a multi-purpose stadium located in
Radès Radès () is a harbour city in Ben Arous Governorate, Tunisia. Situated south-east of the capital Tunis, some consider it a Tunis suburb, and parts of the harbor installations of Tunis are located in Radès. Rades is divided into sub cities: ...
,
Tunis Tunis (, ') is the capital city, capital and largest city of Tunisia. The greater metropolitan area of Tunis, often referred to as "Grand Tunis", has about 2,700,000 inhabitants. , it is the third-largest city in the Maghreb region (after Casabl ...
, Tunisia, around 10 kilometers southeast of downtown Tunis. Opened in 2001, it has a capacity of 65,000 spectators. The stadium is primarily used for football matches but also accommodates athletics. It was built for the 2001 Mediterranean Games and hosted the
Tunisian Cup The Tunisian Cup (), formerly known as Tunisian President Cup (1956–2011), is the premier Single-elimination tournament, knockout football competition in Football in Tunisia, Tunisian football, organized annually by the Tunisian Football Federati ...
final in its opening year, and its one of the best stadium in North Africa and one of the most beautiful stadiums in Africa and the Arab world.


Stade El Menzah

* Stade El Menzah is a multi-purpose stadium located in the northern part of
Tunis Tunis (, ') is the capital city, capital and largest city of Tunisia. The greater metropolitan area of Tunis, often referred to as "Grand Tunis", has about 2,700,000 inhabitants. , it is the third-largest city in the Maghreb region (after Casabl ...
, Tunisia. Built to host the 1967 Mediterranean Games, it is an integral part of the country's major sports complex. Originally home to the
Tunisia national football team The Tunisia national football team, controlled by the Tunisian Football Federation (TFF), represents Tunisia in men's international association football competitions. On a continental level, the team competes under the Confederation of African ...
until the opening of
Hammadi Agrebi Stadium Hammadi Agrebi Stadium (), opened as 7 November Stadium, is a multi-purpose stadium located in the sports city of Radès, located in Radès, in the southern suburb of the city Tunis. The stadium was established in 2001 to host the 2001 Mediterra ...
in 2001, the stadium also hosted matches for the country's top football teams, including Espérance Sportive de Tunis,
Club Africain Club Africain (), known as CA for short, is a Tunisian professional football club based in Tunis. The club was founded in 1920 and its colours are red and white. Their home stadium, Hammadi Agrebi Stadium, has a capacity of 60,000 spectators. ...
, and
Stade Tunisien Stade Tunisien (; ), abbreviated as ST, is a football club based in Le Bardo, a western suburb of Tunis (formerly the residence of the Beylical patronage). It is considered one of the top teams in the Tunis region, alongside Espérance Sportive ...
. In 1994, the stadium underwent major renovations for the 1994 African Cup of Nations, bringing its capacity to 45,000. It is also home to a VIP section that accommodates up to 300 people.


Individual awards


Players awards


African Footballer of the Year


Tunisian Athlete of the Year Award


Tunisian Golden Boot

* Source: Tunisian Football Federation


Tunisian Golden Ball


African Inter-Club Player of the Year


Arab Golden Ball


Best Maghreb Player Award


Rival clubs


Tunis Derby

* In Football in Tunisia, Tunisian football, the Tunis derby is the local derby between the two major clubs in the city of
Tunis Tunis (, ') is the capital city, capital and largest city of Tunisia. The greater metropolitan area of Tunis, often referred to as "Grand Tunis", has about 2,700,000 inhabitants. , it is the third-largest city in the Maghreb region (after Casabl ...
, Tunisia –
Club Africain Club Africain (), known as CA for short, is a Tunisian professional football club based in Tunis. The club was founded in 1920 and its colours are red and white. Their home stadium, Hammadi Agrebi Stadium, has a capacity of 60,000 spectators. ...
and Espérance de Tunis. The derby is played in
Tunis Tunis (, ') is the capital city, capital and largest city of Tunisia. The greater metropolitan area of Tunis, often referred to as "Grand Tunis", has about 2,700,000 inhabitants. , it is the third-largest city in the Maghreb region (after Casabl ...
in the Stade Olympique de Radès, Hammadi Agrebi stadium due to its larger capacity of 65,000 seats. Before the construction of this stadium, the derby used to be played in the 45,000 seat-capacity
Stade El Menzah El Menzah Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium, located in El Menzah, Tunis, Tunisia. The stadium was established in 1967 on the occasion of the 1967 Mediterranean Games on the ruins of Vélodrome Stadium. Its capacity is 39,858 spectators. Hist ...
.


Derby statistics

* '


Tunisian Classico

* The Tunisian Classico refers to the football rivalry between Espérance de Tunis and Étoile du Sahel, based in
Tunis Tunis (, ') is the capital city, capital and largest city of Tunisia. The greater metropolitan area of Tunis, often referred to as "Grand Tunis", has about 2,700,000 inhabitants. , it is the third-largest city in the Maghreb region (after Casabl ...
and Sousse, Tunisia. It's considered one of the most important rivalries in Tunisian football, with the two teams holding a combined 102 titles, including 17 continental championships. Their first match was in 1944–45, ending in a 0–0 draw. They have faced each other regularly, except during the 1961–62 season when Étoile du Sahel was disbanded. The teams have met five times in the
Tunisian Cup The Tunisian Cup (), formerly known as Tunisian President Cup (1956–2011), is the premier Single-elimination tournament, knockout football competition in Football in Tunisia, Tunisian football, organized annually by the Tunisian Football Federati ...
, with Espérance winning the first in 1957. The rivalry extended to the continental level in the 2005 CAF Champions League group stage, 2005 CAF Champions League, with both encounters ending in a draw. They’ve finished as champions and runners-up in the same season 17 times, including five consecutive seasons between 1999 and 2004.


Classico statistics

*'


Honours

Espérance Sportive de Tunis is one of the most successful football clubs in Tunisia and Africa. The club has a rich history, with numerous Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1 titles,
Tunisian Cup The Tunisian Cup (), formerly known as Tunisian President Cup (1956–2011), is the premier Single-elimination tournament, knockout football competition in Football in Tunisia, Tunisian football, organized annually by the Tunisian Football Federati ...
, and
Tunisian Super Cup The Tunisian Super Cup () or the Tunisia Premier Cup () previously called the Tunisian Cup Winners' Cup, is a Tunisian football competition organized by the Tunisian Football Federation. Established in 1960, it combines the champions of the first ...
. Espérance is especially renowned for its success in African competitions, particularly in the
CAF Champions League The CAF Champions League, known for sponsorship purposes as the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League and formerly the African Cup of Champions Clubs, is an annual football club (association football), club football competition organized by the Conf ...
, which they have won multiple times. In 1994, they earned the nickname ''The Beast of Africa'' after winning every major African trophy in a single season. Despite having strong competition, including clubs like Al Ahly, Espérance has consistently remained a top contender in African football with a remarkable legacy. The club has also participated in the prestigious
FIFA Club World Cup The FIFA Club World Cup (FIFA CWC) is an international men's association football competition organised by the ''Fédération Internationale de Football Association'' (FIFA), the sport's global sports governing body, governing body. The compe ...
on three occasions: in 2011, 2018, and 2019. These appearances reflect Espérance's strong international presence and their continued prominence in global football. * * shared record


Club prizes

* CAF Awards#African Inter-Club Team of the Year, African Inter-Club Team of the Year: 2011 * FIFA Club World Cup awards#FIFA Fair Play Trophy, FIFA Fair Play Award: 2019 FIFA Club World Cup, 2019


International participations


IFFHS rankings


Club world ranking

Footballdatabase club's points 22 January 2025.


CAF club rankings

Footballdatabase club's points 22 January 2025.


National club rankings

Footballdatabase club's points 22 January 2025 .


FIFA Club World Cup

* Espérance Sportive de Tunis will also participate in the upcoming 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, to be held in the US, in its exciting new format. This marks another milestone in the club's continued presence on the global football stage, as they aim to make their mark in this prestigious tournament.https://www.fifa.com/en/tournaments/mens/club-world-cup/usa-2025/articles/es-tunis-club-profile-history-players-qualified


African Cup of Champions Clubs and CAF Champions League


CAF Confederation Cup


CAF Cup


African Cup Winners' Cup


CAF Super Cup


Afro-Asian Club Championship


Players


Current squad


Out on loan


Other players under contract


Personnel


Coaching staff


Management


Twinning

* Taraji Wadi Al-Nes * Al-Taraji Club *
Espérance Sportive de Zarzis Espérance Sportive de Zarzis ( known as ES Zarzis or simply ESZ for short, is a Tunisian football club based in Zarzis. The club was founded in 1934 by Haj Ali Bouchhioua and its colours are yellow, red and black. Their home stadium, Abdessa ...


References


External links

*
www.sofascore.com
NOTE: Content in the edit of 29 January 2025 was translated from the existing Arabic Wikipedia article at :ar:الترجي الرياضي التونسي; see its history for attribution.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Esperance Sportive De Tunis Espérance Sportive de Tunis, Football clubs in Tunisia Football clubs in Tunis Association football clubs established in 1919 Multi-sport clubs in Tunisia 1919 establishments in Tunisia Sports clubs and teams in Tunisia CAF Champions League–winning clubs CAF Cup winning clubs African Cup Winners Cup winning clubs CAF Super Cup winning clubs