Union Berlin names first woman head coach in Bundesliga

Union Berlin Names Marie-Louise Eta as First Female Coach in Europe’s Top Five Leagues

Union Berlin appointed Marie-Louise Eta as interim head coach late on Saturday, making the 34-year-old the first woman to take charge of a men’s team in any of Europe’s top five leagues. The decision came hours after Union suffered a 3-1 defeat at bottom-placed Heidenheim, a result that prompted the club to dismiss Steffen Baumgart along with assistants Danilo de Souza and Kevin McKenna.bbc

A Club in Crisis Turns to a Trailblazer

Eta inherits a team in trouble. The loss at Heidenheim left Union in 11th place in the Bundesliga, just seven points above the relegation zone with five matches remaining. Baumgart, a former Union player who was appointed during the 2024-25 winter break, managed only two wins in 14 games during the second half of the season.espn

“We’ve had a completely disappointing second half of the season so far and we’re not letting the table fool us — our situation remains precarious and we desperately need points to secure our place in the league,” sporting director Horst Heldt said in a statement. “Two wins out of 14 games since the winter break and the performances shown in recent weeks do not give us the confidence that we can turn things around with the current setup.”espn

Eta had been coaching Union’s under-19 men’s team and had already agreed earlier this month to become head coach of the club’s women’s first team next season. Now she faces the more immediate task of steering the men’s side to safety, starting with a home match against fellow relegation battlers Wolfsburg next weekend.espn

Breaking Barriers, Again

Eta is no stranger to making history at Union Berlin. She became the first female assistant coach in the Bundesliga and across Europe’s top five divisions in 2023. During the 2023-24 season, she took charge of the team from the touchline during a 1-0 victory over Darmstadt while then-manager Nenad Bjelica served a suspension — the first woman to direct a Bundesliga side on matchday.bbc

Born in 1991, Eta played as a midfielder for Werder Bremen’s women’s team before transitioning into coaching. Her appointment on Saturday, however, marks a step beyond a temporary stand-in role: she is now formally the head coach, an unprecedented distinction in Germany’s top flight.bundesliga

“I’m delighted that Marie Louise Eta has agreed to take on this role on an interim basis before she becomes head coach of the women’s first team as planned in the summer,” Heldt said.espn