Marie-Louise Eta has made history as the first woman to take charge of a men’s team in one of Europe’s top five leagues. She has been named interim head coach of Union Berlin until the end of the season.
The club made the change after sacking Steffen Baumgart. His side lost 3-1 to FC Heidenheim on Saturday.
Union Berlin sit 11th in the 18-team Bundesliga. They are 11 points above the automatic relegation zone with five matches left. But results have been poor. The team has won only two of their last 14 league games in 2026.
Eta, 34, has a record of breaking barriers. She became the Bundesliga’s first female assistant coach with Union Berlin in November 2023. She also led the team from the touchline during a 1-0 win over Darmstadt in January 2024. That made her the first woman to do so in the league. At that time, she stepped in for Nenad Bjelica, who was serving a suspension.
A former Germany youth international, Eta also won the Women’s Champions League with Turbine Potsdam. She has been managing Union Berlin’s under-19 team since July 2025. She is set to become the club’s women’s head coach in the summer.
Union’s director of men’s football Horst Heldt explained the decision.
“We have had a hugely disappointing second half of the season and will not allow ourselves to be blinded by our league position,” he said.
“Our situation remains precarious. The performances shown in recent weeks do not give us confidence that we can turn things around with the current set-up. We have therefore decided to make a fresh start.”
Eta also spoke about the challenge ahead. Union are seven points above St Pauli, who sit in the relegation play-off spot.
“Given the points gap in the lower half of the table, our place in the Bundesliga is not yet secure,” she said.
“I am delighted 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.
“I am convinced that we will secure the crucial points.”
Her appointment comes more than 25 years after Carolina Morace became the first woman to manage a men’s professional team in Europe. She joined Viterbese in 1999.
Corinne Diacre later led Clermont Foot in France’s Ligue 2 from 2014 to 2017 before moving to the France women’s team.
In July 2023, Hannah Dingley became the first woman to manage a professional men’s team in English football. She was named caretaker boss of Forest Green Rovers but did not lead the team in a competitive match.
