Mohamed Zouaoui (footballer)

Mohamed Zouaoui
Personal information
Date of birth 1896
Place of birth Damascus, Syria
Date of death 31 March 1978
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1919–c. 1931 Espérance
Managerial career
1925 Espérance (president)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Mohamed Zouaoui (1896 – 31 March 1978) was a notable figure in Tunisian football. He was a co-founder of the club Espérance Sportive de Tunis (EST) and played for them for 12 years.

Biography

Born in 1896 in Damascus[1] to a family of Kabyle origin,[2] Zouaoui studied at a madrasa as his father opposed him learning French, the language of the colonizers.[1] In 1903, he pursued his studies in Halfaouine, then from 1916 to 1918, he attended the Zitouna Mosque. However, he abandoned his studies and became an apprentice shoemaker in Souk El Blaghgia.[1]

As a co-founder of Espérance Sportive de Tunis (EST) in 1919,[3] Zouaoui initially served as vice-president in the club's first executive board. Later, with Louis Montassier's appointment as president, Zouaoui became a regular board member, despite his initial reluctance to be part of a committee led by a French national.[1] Zouaoui played for EST for 12 years and briefly held a symbolic leadership role for a few weeks in 1925 to fill the vacancy left by Chedly Zouiten, who had traveled to France to study medicine.[4]

In 1928, Zouaoui became a merchant in Lafayette before working for a major trader in Souk El Attarine. From 1935, he was employed at Nhas store in North Africa and later co-managed a fruit business until 1958.[1]

He remained single throughout his life and dedicated himself to raising eight children left behind by one of his deceased relatives.[1] He died on 31 March 1978.[4]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Tahar Melligi (5 February 2007), "La saga de l'EST: un passionnant roman d'amour", La Presse de Tunisie (in French), ISSN 0330-9991
  2. ^ Hafid Azzouzi (2 February 2022), "Témoignages des descendants des Kabyles exilés en Tunisie en 1871 : «Des blessures qui ne cicatrisent jamais»", El Watan (in French), ISSN 1111-0333, retrieved 1 May 2023.
  3. ^ "Espérance Sportive de Tunis". Tuniscope.com (in French). 6 March 2018.
  4. ^ a b "Mohamed Zouaoui" (in French). Espérance Sportive de Tunis – via Wayback Machine.