Esperance de Tunis

The club was founded at the Café de L'Espérance (Arabic: مقهى الترجي) in the Bab Souika neighborhood of Tunis, 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 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 was a French Algerian Club and the Espérance Sportive de Tunis faced each other, the match took place on 20 February 1955, the Tunisian club losing on the score of 2 goals to 1. Between the start of the World War II and independence (1956), the squad quality improved.

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, 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 and the Balfour Declaration 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. 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, 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.

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, but they were defeated by Stade Guelma.

After Two years of setbacks against Stade Guelma, Espérance achieved victory in the 1938–39 Tunisian Cup, triumphing 4–1 over their archrival Étoile Sportive du Sahel. In 1955, the club advanced to represent the Tunisian Football League in the North African Championship. In the knockout phase, two teams were drawn randomly to face off, with the winner progressing to the semi-finals. Wydad Athletic Club 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 to Tunisian independence, the club's strength was felt all across the country. Espérance emerged as the dominant club, reinforced by Algerian players like Abdelaziz Ben Tifour. 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.

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 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 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, 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. 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.

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. 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. However, the team lost the 2012 CAF Champions League final to Al Ahly, and the team star Youssef Msakni was sold to Qatari club Lekhwiya 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 and Anice Badri. 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.

In this context, the club aims to recruit one African star per year, following the example of Michael Eneramo. Over the years, Espérance signed several African and Tunisian internationals, including Harrison Afful from Feyenoord in the Netherlands and a member of the Ghana national team, Eneramo (from the Nigeria national football team), Khaled Korbi and Youssef Msakni (from Stade Tunisien and both members of the Tunisia national football team), Mejdi Traoui (from Red Bull Salzburg and a member of the Tunisia national team), Dramane Traoré from FC Lokomotiv Moscow and a member of the Mali national football team, 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 and the Arab Champions League 2008-2009. They were also finalists in the CAF Champions League 2010. However, Meddeb's policy was not limited to recruiting football players: he hired coach Faouzi Benzarti and later the club's own Nabil Maâloul in December 2010.

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 2010–2011 Tunisian Cup, and most notably, the prestigious 2011 CAF Champions League, 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 resigned after the team's disappointing sixth-place finish in the 2011 FIFA Club World Cup, a tournament where Espérance had hoped to make a stronger impact.

The 2016–2017 season marked the arrival of several key players such as Ferjani Sassi, Mohamed Ali Moncer, Anice Badri, 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. On 18 May, the club won their 27th Tunisian championship title with a 3–0 victory against Étoile Sportive du Sahel. The team lost in the semi-finals of the 2016–2017 Tunisian Cup to Union sportive de Ben Guerdane. Having finished the group stage in first place, the team faced Al Ahly in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

On 6 August, the club won their fourth Arab title and third 2017 Arab Club Championship after defeating Al-Faisaly SC (3–2) after extra time.

During the transfer window, the club signed Franck Kom, Maher Bessghaier, Michael Eneramo, and Änis Ben-Hatira; Haythem Jouini returned after his loan at Club Deportivo Tenerife. After a draw in Egypt (2–2), the team lost at home to Al Ahly (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, Faouzi Benzarti resigned under pressure from fans, who blamed him for the team's poor performances despite the victories. Mondher Kebaier briefly took over as coach before Khaled Ben Yahia returned. After several positive results, including a 3–2 victory against Étoile Sportive du Sahel and an away win against CS Sfaxien (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 title against Al Ahly 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 and Anice Badri.

This victory secured the club's third Champions League title in history, just months before its centenary. They lost to Raja CA on 30 March 2019, in the CAF Super Cup after a goal by Abdelilah Hafidi, followed by an equalizer from Youcef Belaïli, and finally, a second goal by Badr Benoun for Raja.

After winning the 2018–19 Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1, the club finished the 2018–2019 season as African champions for the fourth time after winning the 2018–19 CAF Champions League against Wydad AC.