Woman named Union Berlin coach in historic first: Marie-Louise Eta guides Bundesliga outfit till end season

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Union Berlin named Marie-Louise Eta as the interim coach through the end of the season, becoming the first woman to hold a head coaching position in the men's Bundesliga – all while adding to the trailblazing reputation she already boasted in Germany's top flight

Eta's hire comes after Union parted ways with Steffen Baumgart and his assistants, Danilo de Souza and Kevin McKenna, following the team's 3-1 defeat at Heidenheim on Saturday. She will fill in before taking charge of Union's women's team this summer in a previously planned hire, but will take charge of a team that sits 11th in the Bundesliga and have one win in their last six matches across all competitions. Union hover seven points above the relegation playoff berth, which sees the 16th place Bundesliga side take on the third place team in the 2. Bundesliga in a two-legged series for a spot in the top flight.

"We have had a hugely disappointing second half of the season so far and will not allow ourselves to be blinded by our league position," Union's director of men's professional football Horst Heldt said in a statement. "Our situation remains precarious and we urgently need points to secure our place in the league. Two wins from fourteen matches since the winter break and the performances shown in recent weeks do not give us the confidence that we can still turn things around with the current set-up. We have therefore decided to make a fresh start. I am delighted that Marie Louise Eta has agreed to take on this role on an interim basis before becoming head coach of the women's professional team in the summer as planned."

The 34-year-old has been on Union's books since 2023, when she joined Marco Grote's staff and became the first woman to serve as an assistant coach in the men's Bundesliga and the men's edition of the UEFA Champions League. Eta has served as an assistant to the men's team since and also assumed head coaching duties in Jan. 2024 when then-head coach Nenad Bjelica served a one-game touchline ban for a 1-0 win over Darmstadt.

"Given the points gap in the lower half of the table, our place in the Bundesliga is not yet secure," Eta said. "I am delighted that the club has entrusted me with this challenging task. One of Union's strengths has always been, and remains, the ability to pull together in such situations. And, of course, I am convinced that we will secure the crucial points with the team."

She is believed to be the first woman to coach in Europe's top five men's leagues but is not the only woman at the helm of a men's team in Germany. Sabrina Wittmann is currently at the helm of third division side FC Ingolstadt, who currently sit in 14th place, and signed a new deal last month after initially taking the helm in 2024.

Eta had previously worked as a coach in the youth set-up of Germany's women's national team. Before that, she was a youth international for the national team and spent the vast chunk of her playing days at Werder Bremen before retiring at age 26 and shifting her focus to coaching.

She will appear on the touchline with Union in a week's time against Wolfsburg, who currently sit in the relegation zone and are six points out of safety with five matches to go.