German football club Union Berlin has made a historic coaching change, appointing 34-year-old Marie-Louise Eta as interim head coach of its senior men's team until the end of the season. This decision makes Eta the first woman to officially take charge of a men's professional team in Europe's top five leagues—England, Spain, Germany, France, and Italy—marking a significant milestone in the sport.
Eta's appointment comes amid a period of poor performance for the club. Union Berlin's Director of Sport, Horst Heldt, stated that the team had only two wins in 14 matches since the winter break, with recent displays failing to inspire confidence. The club dismissed former head coach Steffen Baumgart following a 1-3 away defeat to Heidenheim, leaving the Berlin side in danger of relegation from the Bundesliga.
Eta's first match in charge will be at home against fellow relegation strugglers VfL Wolfsburg next Saturday. She warned, "Given the tight situation at the bottom of the table, our survival in the Bundesliga is not yet secure. One of Union's strengths has always been the ability to pull together in such situations, so I'm pleased that the club has entrusted this challenging task to me."
This is not Eta's first experience with Union Berlin's men's team. From November 2023 to May 2024, she assisted interim coach Marco Grote after the dismissal of former head coach Urs Fischer. She later remained on the coaching staff under permanent successor Nenad Bjelica, becoming the first female assistant coach in the Champions League in the process. Additionally, Eta completed her UEFA Pro License in February 2023, the qualification required to lead a professional men's football team.
As a player, Eta (then under her maiden name Bagehorn) won three Women's Bundesliga titles and the 2010 Women's Champions League with Turbine Potsdam. She represented Germany from under-15 to under-23 levels, winning the under-17 European Championship in 2008 and the under-20 World Cup in 2010, but ended her playing career at age 26 due to a series of injuries.
Eta's appointment represents a notable step forward for gender equality in football. While women have previously managed men's teams in lower divisions—such as Sabrina Wittmann at German third-tier club Ingolstadt or Corinne Diacre at French second-division club Clermont until 2017—Eta is the first to take official charge in a top division. She will lead the men's team for the remaining five games of the season before transitioning to become the head coach of the club's women's first team in the summer.
Source: www.dw.com