Marie-Louise Eta Makes History as First Female Head Coach in Top European Leagues

In a groundbreaking move, Marie-Louise Eta has been appointed as the new head coach of Union Berlin, becoming the first woman to lead a team in the top five European men's leagues. Eta, who will take over as coach of Union's women's team next season, has agreed to an interim role with the men's team for the remaining five games of the season. This comes after she made history in 2023 as the first female assistant coach in the Bundesliga and the top divisions of Europe's major leagues. Union sporting director Horst Heldt expressed his delight at Eta's appointment, stating that she will take on the role before becoming the head coach of the women's first team as planned in the summer. Eta said she is thrilled that the club has entrusted her with this challenging task and is confident that they will secure the crucial points needed to stay in the Bundesliga. The appointment follows the dismissal of Steffen Baumgart and his assistants after the team's 3-1 loss to Heidenheim. England manager Sarina Wiegman praised Eta's appointment, calling her a trailblazer and stating that it shows football is progressing. Sabrina Wittmann, the first woman to coach a men's team in Germany's top three divisions, also shared her thoughts on the appointment, saying she knew she had opened the door for women in football and was afraid of closing it. Wittmann's own experience as a head coach has been successful, with an unbeaten end to the league season and a victory in the Bavarian Cup, leading to her being appointed as permanent head coach.