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.

[25] 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)[26] and Hédi Kallel.

[28] 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.

[33] 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.

[37][38] 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.

[39] 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.

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.

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.

[46] 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.

[49] 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).

[65] 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

[93] The Taraji Mobile offer was launched in early 2014 following an agreement between the operator Tunisie Telecom and Espérance sportive de Tunis.

This update enhanced the app's features, providing fans with improved access to the latest news, match schedules, and scores of the club.

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.

[105] The tragedy of 13 June 1971, when the red and yellow lost the Tunisian Cup final against CS Sfaxien at El Menzah Stadium, ignited violent riots among Espérance Sportive de Tunis supporters.

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 club implemented reforms aimed at fostering positive relations with fans and ensuring better management of matches to prevent such violent outbreaks from occurring again.

[107] 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.

[108] 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 Lyon at Stade Chedli Zouiten.

[109] 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.

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.

[110] 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.

Despite having strong competition, including clubs like Al Ahly, Espérance has consistently remained a top contender in African football with a remarkable legacy.

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.