Historic Appointment: Marie-Louise Eta Becomes First Female Head Coach in Top Five European Leagues

Marie-Louise Eta has made history by becoming the first female head coach in the top five European men's leagues, taking the reins at Union Berlin on an interim basis. Eta, who will lead the women's team next season, has five games to secure the men's team's survival in the Bundesliga. She previously made history as the first woman to be an assistant coach in the Bundesliga and the top divisions of Europe's big five leagues. Union sporting director Horst Heldt expressed his delight at Eta's appointment, stating, "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." Eta replaced Steffen Baumgart, who was fired after the team's 3-1 loss to Heidenheim. England manager Sarina Wiegman praised Eta's appointment, saying, "It's great. She's a trailblazer and I think this was a matter of time anyway." Sabrina Wittmann, the first woman to take charge of a men's team in Germany's top three divisions, also shared her thoughts on the appointment, reflecting on her own experiences as a female coach in a male-dominated sport.