Espérance
Encyclopedia
| Espérance's active sections | ||
|---|---|---|
 Football |
 Handball Team handball Handball is a team sport in which two teams of seven players each pass a ball to throw it into the goal of the other team... |
_pictogram.svg.png) Volleyball |
 Rugby Rugby union Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand... |
 Swimming |
 Wrestling Freestyle wrestling Freestyle wrestling is a style of amateur wrestling that is practised throughout the world. Along with Greco-Roman, it is one of the two styles of wrestling contested in the Olympic games. It is, along with track and field, one of the oldest organized sports in history... |
 Boxing Boxing Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds... |
 Judo Judo is a modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an... |
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Espérance Sportive de Tunis is a sports club
Sports club
A sports club or sport club, sometimes athletics club or sports association is a club for the purpose of playing one or more sports...
based in Tunis
Tunis
Tunis is the capital of both the Tunisian Republic and the Tunis Governorate. It is Tunisia's largest city, with a population of 728,453 as of 2004; the greater metropolitan area holds some 2,412,500 inhabitants....
, Tunisia
Tunisia
Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
. It fields several sport teams in football, handball, volleyball, etc.
It is the most popular and successful team in Tunisia and was founded on January 15, 1919. The Stade Olympique d'El Menzah is the club's home stadium.
History
Mohamed Zouaoui and Hédi Kallel founded the football club in the coffee shop that gave the club its name: the Café de l'Espérance located in the mythical popular neighborhood of Bab Souika . The Espérance Sportive was officially registered on January 15, 1919 and was forced under the occupation to have a French president, Louis Montassier. Months later after hard negotiations with the French authorities, Mohamed Melki stepped in as the first Tunisian club president.The first colors of EST were white and green. In 1920, the club hired a young high-school pupil, Chadly Zouiten, who provided the club with a set of shirts with red and yellow vertical stripes. These became the new colors of EST. Zouiten became president of the club in 1923, keeping that position for the next four decades. Under his chairmanship, EST rsults were not stellar, until its promotion into the Division d'Honneur de Tunis (Honor Division of Tunis) in 1936. The EST then reached the finals of the Coupe de Tunisie (Tunisia Cup), but the club Stade Gaulois prevailed. Three years after its defeat by the Gaulois, the EST team won the 1939 cup after beating the Etoile Sportive du Sahel, with a final score of 4 to 1.
Between the beginning of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and the independence of Tunisia (1956), the EST was home to a selection of skilled players; the Tunis club welcomed a number of Algerian players like Ben Tifour and Draoua. The EST, a "native Tunisian" football club was now a force the French, Italian and Maltese clubs that had dominated football in Tunisia until then had to take seriously.
After 1956 independence, not only Esperance became a multisport club by introducing handball, basketball, volleyball, etc., but also the country's most successful club. The football team which is, still until now, the heart of the club, became popular not only because of the titles it had won (the Champions of Tunisia in 1958 and 1960 and Tunisian Cup winners in 1957) but also because of the team's spectacular and aggressive playing style.
The 1960's however were not as successful as the subsequent decades, winning only one championship (back to back 1959-1960 ... the first in the club history) and one cup (1964). In 1963, the football team converted from its attack-oriented style, after Abderrahmane Ben Ezzedine became its coach. Ben Ezzedine introduced rigorous defensive principles inspired by Italian football.
Noureddine Ben Fraj had contributed great deal to Esperance, known for his powerful headers. Later Noura took his expertise to Saudi Arabia as a manager of Ohud Club. He later returned to take charge of the youth team.
In the 1970s, the club has discovered several great local players, such as Tarak Dhiab
Tarak Dhiab
Tarak Dhiab is a former footballer from Tunisia. The African Footballer of the Year in 1977, he is listed by the Fédération Tunisienne de Football as having 107 caps for the Tunisian national football team, although this number has not been ratified by FIFA...
, Temime Ben Abdallah later Lahzami, Abdelmajid Ben Mrad, Abdeljabbar Machouche, Abdelkader, Raouf El Meddeb, Kochbati, Torkhani, Mokhtar Gabsi, Ahmed Hammami, El Kamel, Mohamed Ben Mahmoud, Zoubeir Boughnia famous for his powerful shots at a distance, Ridha Akacha, Adel Latrach, Lassâad Dhiab and many more. All these players were picked up from neighbourhood competitions in various districts of Tunis, to mention few, Bab Souika, Bab El Khadhra, Rue Essouahel Halfaouine the heart beat of Esperance. Not to forget Bab Laasal, Bab Lakwas famous for their love of football.
In the 1980's, Esperance came back strong winning 4 chaqmpionships and 3 Cups, all of them againt its main capital rival, Club Africain. In 1982, former president Hassen Belkhoja died in a terrible accident, and the actual club training camp was named after him (Parc Hassen Belkhoja, fromerly known, and still called, Parc B), located in the heart of Tunis. The arrival of great names in the world of football, as Roger Lemerre (France), Amarildo (Brasil) or even Pietchnizeck (Poland) to coach the first team took the club to another dimension football wise. The rise of talented and icon players, such as Khaled Ben Yahia and Nabil Maâloul, but also Samir Khemiri, Fethi Trabelsi, Taoufik Hicheri, Lotfi Jebara, Mondher Baouab, Bessam Jeridi, etc., playing next to the more experienced Tarek Dhiab, Chouchane and Ben Mahmoud to name a few provide the team such a power to becaome the first contender to win it all, especially with some Samba touch from amarildo. The club started back its participation to the african competitions, after the flash of 1971 when the club had to withdraw from the Champions Cup, after qualifying againt Al Ittihad Club of Libya, for lack of resources and schedule problems with national competitions. In 1987, Esperance reached the African Winners Cup finals against Gore Mahia (Kenya), but failed to win the title after twp draws (2-2 in Tunis and 1-1 in Nairobi). In 1989, the club won its first double (championship and cup) and Slim Chiboub became its president.
In the 1990s, under Slim Chiboub revolutionary vision and restructuring, Espérance won all possible titles on the continental level: the African Cup Winners' Cup, the CAF
Confederation of African Football
The Confederation of African Football is the administrative and controlling body for African association football.CAF represents the national football associations of Africa, runs continental, national, and club competitions, and controls the prize money, regulations and media rights to those...
Cup, and the Champions' Cup (now the CAF Champions League) and the African Super Cup, as well as other Arab and Afro-Asian cups. The football team continued to win national titles as well, with an impressive 6 championships and 3 cups.
Since the beginning of the new century, the club has not managed to win any African title, but it has often qualified for advanced rounds in the Champions League. Slim Chiboub had to resign for these failures in 2004, even though the team has been Champion of Tunisia uninterruptedly for seven years, since 1997, reaching the magic number of 20 championships in the club history. His replacement at the presidency of the club, Aziz Zouhir, did not manage to be successful on the continent, even though the team reached 3 cup finals in a row, winnig 2 cups and 1 championship on the national level.
2007–2008 a new era has started with Hamdi Meddeb as president and Tarek Dhiab at the helm of the football pyramid monitoring the heart of the team, Esperance has triumphed over ESS by winning a record 13th President Cup. The football team kept changing with a lot of investments to bring the most talented players, even though it lacked stability on the coaching level, but the team managed to win 2 Champions Leagues (CL), one at the Arab level in 2009 and the other at the African level in 2011, both of them against the same finalist : Wydad Athletic Club (WAC), after failing in 2010 to witn the CAF CL against Tout Puissant Mazembe (RD Congo).
Performance in national & domestic competitions
- Tunisian LeagueTunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1The CLP-1 or "Championnat de la Ligue Professionnelle 1" is the top division of the Fédération Tunisienne de Football. It was created in 1921.-History:...
: 24- Winners: 1942, 1959, 1960, 1970, 1975, 1976, 1982, 1985, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011.
- Tunisian President CupTunisian President CupThe "Tunisian President Cup" mostly known as the Tunisian Cup is the top knockout tournament of the Tunisian football. It was created in 1922.-Winners before independence:*1922/23 : Avant Garde *1923/24 : Racing Club...
: 14- Winners: 1939, 1957, 1964, 1979, 1980, 1986, 1989, 1991, 1997, 1999, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2011
- Tunisian Super CupTunisian Super CupThe Tunisian Super Cup is a Tunisian association football competition, which takes place in an annual match between the Tunisian League champion team and the winners of the Tunisian Cup.-Unofficial edition:-Official edition:-Performance by club:...
: 2- Winners: 1993, 2001.
Performance in CAF competitions
- CAF Champions LeagueCAF Champions LeagueThe CAF Champions League is an annual international club football competition run by the Confederation of African Football . The top club sides from Africa's football leagues are invited to participate in this competition, which is the premier club football competition on the continent and the...
: 2- Winners: 1994, 20112011 CAF Champions LeagueThe 2011 CAF Champions League was the 47th edition of Africa's premier club football tournament organized by the Confederation of African Football , and the 15th edition under the current CAF Champions League format...
- Winners: 1994, 2011
- African Cup Winners' CupAfrican Cup Winners' CupThe African Cup Winners' Cup was a football competition that started in 1975 and merged with the CAF Cup in 2004 to form the CAF Confederations Cup...
: 1- Winners: 19981998 African Cup Winners' CupThe 1998 season of the African Cup Winners' Cup football club tournament was won by Espérance Sportive de Tunis in two-legged final victory against Clube Desportivo Primeiro de Agosto. This was the twenty-fourth season that the tournament took place for the winners of each African country's...
- Winners: 1998
- CAF Super CupCAF Super CupThe CAF Super Cup is an annual African association football competition contested between the winners of the CAF Champions League and the CAF Confederation Cup. The competition was first held in 1993 and is organised by the Confederation of African Football...
: 1- Winners: 1995
- CAF CupCAF CupThe CAF Cup was an annual competition organised by the CAF for domestic leagues runner-ups of member associations who haven't qualified to one of the two pre-existing CAF international club competitions the African Cup of Champions Clubs or the African Cup Winners' Cup.-Format:Only runner-ups of...
: 1- Winners: 1997
Performance in UAFA competitions
- Arab Club Champions CupArab Champions LeagueThe Arab Champions League is a football tournament for clubs in the Arab world. It was inspired by the UEFA Champions League.The Arab Champions League was first known as the Arab Club Champions Cup, and established in 1982. In 2001, it merged with the Arab Cup Winners' Cup to form the new Prince...
: 2- Winners: 1993, 2009
- Arab Super CupArab Super CupThe Arab Super Cup was an Arab football competition, held between the reigning champions and runners up of the Arab Club Champions Cup and the Arab Cup Winners' Cup. It started in 1992 with an unofficial edition, and was discontinued after the 2001 edition....
: 1- Winners: 19961996 Arab Super CupThe Arab Super Cup was an international club competition played by the winners and runners up of the Arab Club Champions Cup and Arab Cup Winners' Cup. The tournament started unofficially in 1992 and lasted until 2001....
- Winners: 1996
Performance in other international competitions
- Afro-Asian Club ChampionshipAfro-Asian Club ChampionshipThe Afro-Asian Club Championship, sometimes referred to as the Afro-Asian Cup, was a football competition endorsed by the Confederation of African Football and Asian Football Confederation , contested between the winners of the African Champions' Cup and the Asian Club Championship, the two...
: 1- Winners: 1995
- North African Cup Winners CupNorth African Cup Winners CupThe North African Cup Winners Cup is a competition organised by the Federation of North African Football, that contains the winners of the domestic cups around North Africa...
: 1- Winners: 20082008 North African Cup Winners CupThe 2008 North African Cup Winners Cup was the first edition of the competition created by the Federation of North African Football. ES Tunis were the champions, defeating JSM Béjaïa 2-1 over two legs.-Participating teams:...
- Winners: 2008
Performance in CAF competitions
- CAF Champions LeagueCAF Champions LeagueThe CAF Champions League is an annual international club football competition run by the Confederation of African Football . The top club sides from Africa's football leagues are invited to participate in this competition, which is the premier club football competition on the continent and the...
: 9 appearances
-
- 2005CAF Champions League 2005The CAF Champions League 2005 started on 29 January 2005 with a preliminary round. The two legs of the final were played on 28 October and 12 November, with Egypt's Al-Ahly coming out as 3-0 aggregate winners.-Preliminary Round:...
– Group Stage - 2010 – Finalist
- 20112011 CAF Champions LeagueThe 2011 CAF Champions League was the 47th edition of Africa's premier club football tournament organized by the Confederation of African Football , and the 15th edition under the current CAF Champions League format...
– Champion
- 2005
- African Cup of Champions Clubs: 6 appearances
-
- 1971African Cup of Champions Clubs 1971The African Cup of Champions Clubs 1971 was the 7th edition of the annual international club football competition held in the CAF region , the African Cup of Champions Clubs...
– withdrew in Second Round - 1986African Cup of Champions Clubs 1986The African Cup of Champions Clubs 1986 was the 22nd edition of the annual international club football competition held in the CAF region , the African Cup of Champions Clubs...
– Quarter-Finals
- 1971
-
- 1989African Cup of Champions Clubs 1989The African Cup of Champions Clubs 1989 was the 24th edition of the annual international club football competition held in the CAF region , the African Cup of Champions Clubs...
– Second Round - 1990African Cup of Champions Clubs 1990The African Cup of Champions Clubs 1990 was the 25th edition of the annual international club football competition held in the CAF region , the African Cup of Champions Clubs...
– Quarter-Finals
- 1989
-
- 1992African Cup of Champions Clubs 1992The African Cup of Champions Clubs 1992 was the 27th edition of the annual international club football competition held in the CAF region , the African Cup of Champions Clubs...
– First Round - 1994African Cup of Champions Clubs 1994The African Cup of Champions Clubs 1994 was the 29th edition of the annual international club football competition held in the CAF region , the African Cup of Champions Clubs...
– Champion
- 1992
- CAF Confederation CupCAF Confederation CupThe CAF Confederation Cup is an international club association football competition run by the Confederation of African Football.-Qualification:...
: 2 appearances
- CAF CupCAF CupThe CAF Cup was an annual competition organised by the CAF for domestic leagues runner-ups of member associations who haven't qualified to one of the two pre-existing CAF international club competitions the African Cup of Champions Clubs or the African Cup Winners' Cup.-Format:Only runner-ups of...
: 1 appearance
-
- 1997 – Champion
- CAF Cup Winners' Cup: 4 appearances
-
- 1980 – Second Round
- 1981 – First Round
- 1987 – Finalist
- 1998 – Champion
Current squad
Notable Former Players
Bouabdellah Daoud Karim GhaziKarim Ghazi
Karim Ghazi is an Algerian footballer. He currently plays for MC Alger in the Algerian Ligue Professionnelle 1.From 2002 to 2005, Ghazi made 16 appearances for the Algeria national football team.-Club career:...
Gelson da Costa Marcos dos Santos
Marcos Roberto Pereira dos Santos
Marcos Roberto Pereira dos Santos, usually known as Marcos is a Brazilian football striker. He currently plays for Troyes AC.He has also played for Club Athletic Bizertin and Espérance....
Reinaldo da Silva Henri Bienvenu
Henri Bienvenu
Henri Bienvenu Ntsama is a Cameroonian football striker who currently plays for Fenerbahçe.-Club Athlétique Bizertin:...
Frank Ongfiang
Frank Ongfiang
Frank Olivier Ongfiang is a Cameroonian footballer who plays for Zirka Kirovohrad.-Italy & early career:Born in Yaoundé, Ongfiang started his European career at France for Bordeaux. In 2001-02 season, he was signed by Venezia and made his Serie A debut on 17 March 2002 against Chievo, substituted...
Ibrahim Diaky
Ibrahim Diaky
Ibrahim Diaky is an Emirati football midfielder. He currently plays for Al-Jazira Club. Diaky is originally from the Ivory Coast though he was granted UAE citizenship in late 2006.-External links:*...
Edgar Loué
Edgar Loué
Edgard Gnoleba Loué is an Ivorian footballer currently playing for AS Gàbes.-Career:Born in Abidjan, Loué started his career in homeland club Africa Sports, before joining Moroccan side Raja Casablanca. He had a spell in Algeria with MO Constantine in the second division. Then he returned to...
Boubacar Sanogo
Boubacar Sanogo
Boubacar Sanogo is an Ivorian footballer who currently plays for AS Saint-Étienne in the French Ligue 1.- Career :...
Jean-Jacques Tizie Kandia Traoré
Kandia Traoré
Kandia Émile Traoré is a football striker who plays for SM Caen.-Club career:He started his career at Tunisian club Esperance de tunis, before moving to Le Havre in 2005, in January 2008, he signed a three and a half deal with Sochaux...
Lelo Mbele
Lelo Mbele
Blaise Lelo Mbele is a Congolese football striker.Mbele was a member of the Congolese 2006 African Nations Cup team, who progressed to the quarter finals, where they were eliminated by Egypt, who won the tournament...
Makaya Nzululu Hicham Aboucherouane Julius Aghahowa Michael Eneramo
Michael Eneramo
Michael Eneramo is a Nigerian football striker who plays for Sivasspor in the Turkish Süper Lig.-Club career:...
Garba Lawal
Garba Lawal
Garba Lawal is a football midfielder from Nigeria. He is currently a contracted player-assistant manager with Lobi Stars F.C..-Career:...
Obinna Nwaneri
Obinna Nwaneri
Obinna Nwaneri is a football defender from Nigeria. His name, Obinna, means "Father´s heart" in Igbo. He is described as mobile central defender with pace, control and timing. A natural leader, which had earned him the captain armband in Enyimba and FC Sion respectively...
Rafiu Salaudeen Damien Udeh Cheikh Seck Emmanuel Mathias
Emmanuel Mathias
Emmanuel Mathias is a naturalized Togolese footballer, who plays for Hapoel Petach Tikva in the Israeli Premier League.-Career:...
Adailton PereiraAdailton dos Santos
Adailton Pereira dos Santos is a Brazilian-born Tunisian footballer who currently plays for MyPa in Finnish Veikkausliiga.-References:* *...
Walid Azeiz Khaled Badra
Khaled Badra
Khaled Badra is a retired Tunisian footballer, who recently retired from international football, he last played for Tunisian League side Espérance of Tunis...
Ali Ben Neji Khaled Ben Yahya Hédi Berkhissa
Hedi berkhissa
Hédi «Balha» Berkhissa was a former Tunisian footballer who played for Espérance and the Tunisian National Team as a defender.-Early life:...
Sirajeddine Chihi
Sirajeddine Chihi
Sirajeddine Chihi is a retired Tunisian football player.He played most of his career for Espérance Tunis.He played for the Tunisia national football team and was a participant at the 1998 FIFA World Cup.-External links:...
Naceur Chouchane
José Clayton Lassad Dhiab Tarak DhiabTarak Dhiab
Tarak Dhiab is a former footballer from Tunisia. The African Footballer of the Year in 1977, he is listed by the Fédération Tunisienne de Football as having 107 caps for the Tunisian national football team, although this number has not been ratified by FIFA...
Noureddine Diwa Chokri El Ouaer
Chokri El Ouaer
Chokri El Ouaer is a former Tunisian football goalkeeper.The Tunisian international began playing for Espérance Sportive de Tunis in 1986, spending his entire career there except for a six-month spell in Genoa in 2001, near the end of his career...
Hassen Gabsi
Hassen Gabsi
Hassen Gabsi is a Tunisian football right winger.He was a member of the Tunisian national team during the 2002 FIFA World Cup.-Clubs:*1994-2001: Espérance*2001-2003: Genoa C.F.C.-External links:* at National Football Teams...
Abdelmajid Gobantini Ayadi Hamrouni Larbi Jabeur
Larbi Jabeur
Larbi Jabeur is a Tunisian football player who, as of 2009 is playing for Ittihad Tripoli.-References:...
Radhi Jaïdi
Radhi Jaïdi
Radhi Ben Abdelmajid Jaïdi is a Tunisian footballer who joined Npower Championship club Southampton in September 2009. He plays as a centre back.-Club career:...
Issam Jemaa Hamdi Kasraoui
Hamdi Kasraoui
Hamdi Kasraoui is a Tunisian football goalkeeper. He currently plays for RC Lens in France.-Club career:Kasraoui played for Espérance Sportive de Tunis until 25 May 2009, when he signed with French club RC Lens, which at the time had just secured promotion back to the Ligue 1...
Temim Lahzami Lotfi Larousi Nabil Maaloul
Nabil Maaloul
Nabil Maaloul |footballer]] from Tunisia. He played with the Tunisian team for the 80th, he participated in the Olympic games of 1988 in Seoul.- External links :*...
Jawhar Mnari Skander Souayah
Skander Souayah
Skander Souayah is a Tunisian football player.He played for a few clubs, including CS Sfaxien and Espérance Tunis.He played for the Tunisia national football team and was a participant at the 1998 FIFA World Cup, where he scored a goal from the penalty kick in match against Romania.Souayah...
Tarek Thabet
Tarek Thabet
Tarek Thabet is a former Tunisian football defender.He was a member of the Tunisian national team during the World Cups in 1998 and 2002....
Abdelmajid Tlemcani Ziad Tlemcani
Ziad Tlemcani
Ziad Tlemcani is a retired Tunisian football player who played for Espérance in Tunisia, Vitória S.C. in Portugal and Vissel Kobe in Japan...
Kamel Zaiem
Kamel Zaiem
Kamel Zaiem is a Tunisian footballer. He currently plays for ENPPI Club in the Egyptian Premier League.-Career:Zaiem started his career by playing with his home town club AS Ariana where he became professional in 2001...
Ali Zitouni
Ali Zitouni
-Career:Zitouni plays for Antalyaspor in the Turkish Super Lig. He previously played for Espérance in Tunisia and was loaned to Troyes AC for six months.Zitouni played for the Tunisia national football team at the 2002 FIFA World Cup finals...
Kenneth Malitoli
Selected Former Coaches
Stjepan BobekStjepan Bobek
Stjepan Bobek was a football striker from Yugoslavia, and later a football manager. An ethnic Croat, Bobek started playing at a very young age and had spells with several clubs in Zagreb but is mainly remembered for his time at the Serbian side Partizan Belgrade, where he moved to following the...
(1976–78) Maher Kanzari (2008) Faouzi Benzarti
Faouzi Benzarti
Faouzi Benzarti , , is a Tunisian former footballer and currently works as coach. He is recently manager of the Club Africain...
(2009)