The story of Marie-Louise Eta – the Bundesliga's first female head coach

The story of Marie-Louise Eta – the Bundesliga's first female head coach

Bundesliga side Union Berlin announced a landmark decision last weekend. Head coach Steffen Baumgart was dismissed to make way for Marie-Louse Eta, the first woman to take charge of a Bundesliga team.

At just 34, Eta was already the assistant coach of the first team and will lead Union on an interim basis until the end of the 2025/26 season.

Currently 11th in the Bundesliga, Union Berlin are seven points clear of St. Pauli, the side who would at this stage be in the competition's relegation play-off place.

"I'm very happy that the club has entrusted me with this challenging task," Eta said on her appointment.

"One of Union's strengths has always been, and still is, the ability to pull together in situations like this. And of course, I'm convinced that we will pick up the crucial points with the team."

A different vision

Union Berlin spent a long time on the fringes of German football. Originally founded in 1906 as FC Olympia Oberschöneweide, the club almost went bankrupt in 1997, but was saved by the strength of its supporters and the backing of several sponsors.

The team reached the top flight of German football in 2019 and, in only its fourth Bundesliga season, secured an unexpected place in the Champions League.

One of the key figures behind the club's rise is president Dirk Zingler, who has led Union since 2004. Under his leadership, the club promoted a woman to the role of number two in the technical staff of then-head coach Marco Grote in 2023. That woman was none other than Marie-Louise Eta.

"I don't think the fact that she was the first woman on the bench in a Bundesliga or Champions League match crossed anyone's mind. But that does not mean we cannot be proud of it," said Jacob Sweetmann, Union Berlin's international relations representative to our sister site zerozero back in 2023.

"We have long since passed the point where a woman should be excluded from roles simply because she is a woman. Marie-Louise is not a 'woman' who also happens to be an excellent football coach; she is an excellent football coach, and we know our men's first team is in good hands."

Experience with Klopp

A turning point in Marie-Louise Eta's career came in 2022. Out of 120 applicants, she was one of 16 selected and the only woman to take part in the German Football Association's (DFB) professional coaching course.

In an interview with Kicker magazine, Eta spoke about the opportunity to learn from Jürgen Klopp, a reference point in German football and then manager of Liverpool.

"Knowing how to lead the coaching staff, knowing when to take a step back and see the bigger picture. Knowing what the assistants' qualities are and how to make the most of them. Knowing that the coach does not always have to be out front, but also knowing when to step in to have an even greater impact. And never taking yourself too seriously. It was impressive to see that in person, privately, with Klopp," the coach explained.

A shortened playing career

If her coaching career was unexpected, her brief career as a footballer was too. Eta played for clubs including Turbine Potsdam, Hamburg and Werder Bremen.

The midfielder won three league titles as well as the Champions League. Her playing career ended at the age of 26 because of a series of injuries.

After her spell as interim head coach of the men's team for the rest of the season, Marie-Louise will return to women's football but she will continue to be a trailblazer.