Football team break from tradition and appoints first female manager in historic move

Ed Griffiths
Sun, 12 Apr 2026 09:41:07 +0000

Union Berlin have written themselves into the history books by naming Marie-Louise Eta as their interim head coach.

The 34-year-old becomes the first woman ever to take charge of a men's side in one of Europe's elite divisions.

The German club confirmed the groundbreaking appointment on Saturday evening, handing Eta responsibility for steering the team through their remaining Bundesliga fixtures.

Her promotion represents a watershed moment for football across the continent's top five leagues, which encompass the Premier League, LaLiga, Serie A, Ligue 1 and the Bundesliga.

TRENDING

Stories

Videos

Your Say

Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano described the move as a "historic decision" that could open doors for female coaches throughout the men's game.

The managerial shake-up followed a damaging 3-1 loss to bottom-placed Heidenheim on Saturday, a result that proved fatal to Steffen Baumgart's tenure.

Union's hierarchy acted swiftly, dismissing Baumgart along with his assistants, Danilo de Souza and Kevin McKenna, as part of a complete overhaul of the coaching setup.

The defeat capped a wretched run of form.

The Berlin outfit has claimed just two victories from 14 outings since the winter break.

Despite sitting in 11th position, Union remain only seven points above the relegation play-off place with five matches left to play this season.

Eta steps into the role after previously serving as head coach of Union's under-19 squad, a position she was elevated to following Baumgart's departure.

The German made history back in November 2023 when she became the first woman to hold an assistant coaching position in the Bundesliga, working alongside Marco Grote.

LATEST SPORT NEWS

Grand National punter wins £900,000 on single bet as 'numb' bookies refuse instant payment

Best XI of football stars missing World Cup as countdown to kick-off reaches 60 days

Arsenal slip up in Premier League title race as England World Cup hopeful leads Bournemouth upset

Her experience at the top level extends further.

She had temporarily taken charge of first-team duties during a three-match suspension served by then-manager Nenad Bjelica in 2024.

Once her interim stint concludes, Eta will transition to her planned role as the head coach of Union Berlin's women's professional team from the summer onwards.

Eta acknowledged the precarious nature of Union's position.

She said: "Given the points gap in the lower half of the table, our place in the Bundesliga is not yet secure. I am delighted that the club has entrusted me with this challenging task.

"One of Union's strengths has always been, and remains, the ability to pull together in such situations. And, of course, I am convinced that we will secure the crucial points with the team."

Director of football Horst Heldt admitted the club's situation "remains precarious" and that recent performances had eroded confidence in the previous setup.

Eta's first match at the helm comes against relegation-threatened Wolfsburg on April 18 at the Stadion An der Alten Försterei.