Union Berlin has made football history by appointing Marie-Louise Eta as their interim head coach until the end of the 2025-26 Bundesliga season.
The 34-year-old becomes the first woman ever to manage a men’s team in the Bundesliga. She takes over after the club dismissed head coach Steffen Baumgart following a disappointing 3-1 defeat to Heidenheim on Saturday.
Eta, who already serves as coach of Union Berlin’s U19 team and is set to become head coach of the club’s women’s team in the summer, now steps up for the men’s first team in this emergency role. She has a strong background at the club, having previously worked as an assistant coach and even taking charge of a Bundesliga match in 2024 when the head coach was suspended.
Union Berlin is fighting to avoid relegation and needs to improve their form quickly in the remaining matches. Club officials say they chose Eta because she knows the players well and has already proven herself within the organisation.
Eta said she is thankful for the trust the club has placed in her. She will lead training sessions and make key decisions on the touchline for the final games of the season.
This appointment is being celebrated as a major milestone for women in football. While female coaches have broken barriers in women’s football, Eta is the first to lead a top-flight men’s team in Germany’s top league, and in any of Europe’s “big five” leagues.
