Esperance head coach Maher Kanzari said his team would not back down from any challenge at the FIFA Club World Cup.
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Esperance secured their spot at the Club World Cup as the best-ranked eligible side in Africa and was placed in a group alongside English giants Chelsea FC, Brazilian side Flamengo and US side Los Angeles FC.
Kanzari returned to the Red and Yellow in March and led the club to league victory in the 2024/25 season. Speaking to FIFA, Kanzari admitted he was excited for the tournament and reflected on the past season.
"We’re thrilled to be part of this historic football event, the first of its kind in the game’s history," Kanzari said
"It’s a fantastic initiative by FIFA. There’s no doubt the tournament will bring tremendous benefits to all the participating clubs and inject fresh energy into football across the countries involved," he added.
The Tunisian was not afraid to face the likes of Chelsea and Flamengo at the tournament.
"Espérance has a long history of big matches against big names – and we are a prestigious club, too," the former Tunisian manager said
"There’s no doubt we’ll gain valuable experience from this tournament. We’ll be properly prepared to take to the pitch focused and determined," he added.
Kanzari said he wanted to see passion from his players and to represent Esperance with pride.
"We’ll give it our all in every match, just as every team will," Kanzari said. "We may make it out of the group stage, and we may not. But I expect us to play our matches with passion and enthusiasm. The most important thing is that we honour the shirt – both Espérance’s colours and the name of Tunisia itself," he added.
He concluded that his team was ready to play without feat at the competition.
"As I’ve said, there’s no fear here," he said.
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"These are football matches at the highest level. Every player is hungry to play in a tournament like the Club World Cup. That’s why we’re not afraid of anything. We’re a big team, and they’re big teams too. True, they may look better on paper, but this is football – anything can happen. Espérance don’t cower before anyone. We bring our full might into every match. We’re determined to deliver a great performance that is worthy of our reputation, just like always," he concluded.
