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Re : Esperance Sportive de Tunis: 100 years of glory

Esperance Sportive de Tunis: 100 years of glory

Esperance celebrated their centenary in 2019 | Tunisian giants won domestic league and CAF Champions League this year | FIFA.com looks at some of their proudest achievements ahead of Qatar 2019

 

Esperance retain title to seal place at Qatar 2019. PHOTO | FETHI BELAID |  AFP
 
Esperance Sportive de Tunis have been one of the most successful clubs in Tunisia and Africa since their foundation 100 years ago. The club, dubbed the Yellow and Red, have a long and impressive honours list, the most recent of which was the 2019 CAF Champions League title. That victory, at the expense of Wydad Casablanca, means the Tunisian giants will be representing their continent at the FIFA Club World Cup Qatar 2019™... FIFA.com takes a look back at some of Esperance's proudest achievements during their first 100 years.

1942 – 2019: Golden period with 29 domestic league titles

Having claimed the domestic crown in 2017 and 2018, Esperance won their third league title in a row last season, confirming their domination of the Tunisian and African scene. Esperance’s first league title dates back to 1942, a full 23 years after their foundation. The club’s most successful period has been the last 20 years, during which they have won 14 league titles, including seven in a row between 1998 and 2004.

2011: Continental kings again after 17-year drought

Despite those failures, Esperance never gave up, bouncing straight back after the 2010 disappointment to grace the following year’s final. This time, however, they were not to be denied, prevailing against Wydad Casablanca thanks to goalless draw in the first leg and a solitary strike from Harrison Afull in the second.

The Esperance line-up for the 2011 Champions league’s final against Wydad

Club details:

Full Name: Esperance Sportive de Tunis

Founded: 15 January 1919

Colours: red and yellow

President: Hamdi Meddeb

Coach: Mouine Chaabani

All-time top Scorer: Tarek Dhiab

First appearance at the FIFA Club World Cup

Esperance's 2011 Champions League’s title earned them a maiden appearance at the FIFA Club World Cup, held in Japan in 2011. There they lost two matches, the first to Al Saad (2-1) and the second to Mexico's Monterrey (3-2), to finish the tournament in sixth place.

2018: Continental glory and a good omen for Tunisian football

Having won Africa’s most-coveted title in 2011, Esperance reached the decider again in 2012, this time losing to Al Ahly of Egypt. While the first leg ended in a 1-1 draw, the Cairo club managed to prevail in Tunisia (2-1) to deprive EST their second consecutive title. Six years later, the club returned to the podium in a year that saw Tunisia qualify to the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™. Several Esperance players contributed to Tunisia’s successful campaign, such as Anice Badri and Taha Yassine Khenissi, who also helped their club to another African title that same year against Al Ahly. While their Egyptian opponents secured a commanding lead (3-1) in the first leg, the Tunis club won (3-0) at home to claim their third Champions League title in an encounter that saw Badri score a superb goal.

A photo of Esperance’s winning the 2018 Champions League © AFP

A return to FIFA Club World Cup in UAE

After their maiden appearance in 2011, Esperance returned to the FIFA Club World Cup at the 2018 edition in the UAE. Eager to make amends for their failure in Japan, they nonetheless lost the opening game (3-0) to the host country’s representatives, Al Ain, who went on to knock out River Plate on their way to the final. Esperance, however, won their second game on penalties (6-5) after a (1-1) draw, to end the tournament in fifth place.

Esperance’s Ghailene Chaalali and Al Ain’s Bandar Al Ahbabi at the FIFA Club World Cup UAE 2018 © Getty Images

2019: Esperance retain title to seal place at Qatar 2019

Esperance continued their fine form in this year’s Champions League. Having won the tournament in 2018, they were determined to retain their crown when they met 2017 champions Wydad Casablanca in May’s decider. The first leg ended 1-1 before Youcef Belaili scored what would turn out to be the winner in the return fixture, securing the club back-to-back African titles for the first time in their history.

Qatar 2019: Lofty ambitions and avoiding past mistakes

Hoping it will be third time lucky, Esperance will shortly embark on their third FIFA Club World Cup campaign intent on making up for past failures and improving on their 2011 and 2018 finishes. They see no reason why they cannot progress to the second round for the first time when they face recently crowned AFC Champions League winners Al Hilal of Saudi Arabia. Or perhaps even go all the way to the final and follow in the footsteps of Al Ain, who managed that very feat only last year. With 2019 coming to a close, what better time for Esperance to rise to the occasion than in the centenary year of this great club.

 

Fifa.com