Union Berlin made history on Saturday by appointing Marie-Louise Eta as the team’s head coach until the end of the season, making her the first woman to lead a men’s team in one of Europe’s five major leagues: England, Germany, Spain, Italy and France.
Eta, 34, was named interim coach following the dismissal of Steffen Baumgart, just hours after a 3-1 loss to Heidenheim in the Bundesliga. She is expected to move to the club’s women’s team this summer, as previously planned.
Union’s managing director, Horst Heldt, explained the decision, pointing to the club’s disappointing form in the second half of the season.
“The second half of the season has been very disappointing, and we cannot ignore our position in the table,” Heldt said. “Our situation near the bottom remains dangerous, and we urgently need points to secure our place in the league. We have won just two of our last 14 matches since the winter break, and that raised concerns that we would not be able to turn things around in the current setup, so we decided to make a change.”
A historic breakthrough
Eta had already made history in the 2023-24 season, when she became the first woman to serve as an assistant coach in the Bundesliga.
That same season, she also managed a match as acting head coach while standing in for suspended coach Nenad Bjelica, becoming the first woman to lead a team from the sidelines in Germany’s top flight.
Now, with her official appointment, she becomes the first woman to hold the role permanently, even if on an interim basis, at a men’s team in one of Europe’s top leagues.
Fighting for survival
“With the points gap at the bottom, survival in the league is still not guaranteed,” Eta said after her appointment. “I’m happy the club has placed its trust in me for this challenging task. One of Union Berlin’s strengths has always been the ability to come together in moments like these, and I believe we will get the points we need.”
Union Berlin currently sits 11th in the Bundesliga standings, seven points above the relegation playoff spot, with five matches remaining in the season.
As the club looks to stabilize its campaign, Eta’s appointment marks not only a critical sporting decision, but also a milestone moment in European football.