Union Berlin appoint Marie-Louise Eta as head coach in historic Bundesliga move
1. FC Union Berlin have appointed Marie-Louise Eta as their new head coach, making her the first woman to take permanent charge of a men's Bundesliga team. The 34-year-old, who was the club's U19 coach, takes over from the departed Steffen Baumgart for the final five games of the season with the club 11th in the table, seven points above the relegation play-off spot.
Eta, a former Germany youth international, had been serving as an assistant with the first team earlier this season and has been with the club since 2023. Her appointment, confirmed by the club on Sunday, is a landmark moment for the German top flight, making her the first woman to be appointed as the permanent head coach of a men's team in one of Europe's five major leagues.
According to club sources cited by German media, Eta has signed a contract to lead the team for the final five matches of the 2025-26 campaign. Her primary objective will be to secure the club's Bundesliga status, with Union Berlin currently seven points clear of the relegation play-off place.
Eta's playing career was spent entirely in the Frauen-Bundesliga, where she won the UEFA Women's Champions League with 1. FFC Turbine Potsdam in 2010. A series of injuries forced her to retire at 26, after which she immediately moved into coaching. She earned all necessary coaching licenses, including the prestigious Fußball-Lehrer (Football Teacher) license in 2022, and has since worked her way through Union Berlin's academy and first-team setup.
Her coaching journey began with the club's U13s at Werder Bremen before she joined Union Berlin in 2023 as an assistant to Marco Grote with the U19s. She was swiftly promoted to the first-team staff as an assistant under Nenad Bjelica, and even took interim charge for a Bundesliga match against Darmstadt in January 2024 while Bjelica was suspended. The 1-0 victory made her the first woman to manage a Bundesliga match from the touchline.
In a statement on the club's website, Eta said, "I am delighted that the club is entrusting me with this demanding task. One of Union's great strengths has always been our ability to stick together in difficult times. I am convinced we will pick up the decisive points to stay up together."
The club's president, Dirk Zingler, and sporting director, Oliver Ruhnert, have publicly backed the appointment, with sources close to the club indicating they were impressed with her tactical knowledge and her rapport with the players during her time as an assistant. Former Union Berlin player Lucas Tousart, now at RC Lens, praised the decision, telling L'Équipe, "A guy or a girl, it's the same as long as you have the skills. And she has them."
Eta's first match in charge will be a crucial home fixture against mid-table Hoffenheim next weekend. Her appointment is seen as a progressive and historic step for German football, with the 34-year-old now tasked with securing the club's top-flight status and potentially earning a longer-term contract.
