Esperance Sportive de Tunis have appointed French coach Patrice Beaumelle as their new head coach on a contract running until June 2027, the Tunisian club confirmed on Saturday.
The 47-year-old replaces Maher Kanzari, who was dismissed earlier this month following a run of disappointing results, including a 1-0 defeat to Stade Malien in the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League group stage.
The announcement comes just weeks before Esperance face Egyptian giants Al Ahly in the quarter-finals of Africa’s premier club competition, setting up a high-profile continental test as Beaumelle begins his tenure.
In a statement published on the club’s official social media platforms, Esperance said: “Espérance Sportive de Tunis has completed all the procedures for contracting with French coach Patrice Beaumelle and his accompanying technical staff until June 2027. The full technical staff will be presented later.”
Beaumelle arrives in Tunis after parting ways with the Angolan Football Federation, where he had been in charge of the national team.
His spell with Angola ended following their exit from the Africa Cup of Nations, with the side recording one win, four draws and two defeats in his final seven matches.
Despite that modest record, Beaumelle brings considerable continental experience. He was part of Hervé Renard’s technical team when Zambia won the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations, and again when Cote d’Ivoire lifted the title in 2015.
He later took charge of the Ivorian national team, leading them through qualification and into the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations.
At club level, Beaumelle enjoyed notable success in Algeria with Mouloudia Club d’Alger. He guided the club to the Algerian league title in the 2023–24 season and reached the Algerian Cup final in the same campaign.
In his first season, he secured a third-place league finish before departing in December 2024. He has also had a spell in Qatar with Umm Salal.
Esperance’s decision to appoint Beaumelle signals an intent to restore stability and ambition after a turbulent period. The Tunisian champions are four-time winners of the CAF Champions League and remain one of Africa’s most decorated clubs.
Beaumelle’s first major assignment will be the two-legged quarter-final against Al Ahly, record 12-time African champions.
The first leg is scheduled to take place in Tunisia, with the return match in Cairo a week later.
The tie promises to be one of the standout clashes of the knockout stage — and an immediate test of Beaumelle’s ability to galvanise a squad aiming to compete on both domestic and continental fronts.
For Esperance supporters, the hope is that the Frenchman’s experience and tactical discipline can steer the club back towards silverware.
SOURCE: CAF ONLINE
