Marie-Louise Eta made history this weekend by stepping in as the interim head coach for Union Berlin, becoming the first woman to lead a men's team in the Bundesliga. The 34-year-old takes the reins following the dismissal of Steffen Baumgart, who was fired after the club’s 3-1 loss to bottom-placed Heidenheim.
Her appointment marks a major milestone in professional football. Eta is now the first woman to manage a top-tier men's squad across the five major European leagues: England, Spain, Germany, Italy, and France.
A Proven Track Record
Eta was previously coaching the club’s men’s Under-19 team, a position she has held since March 2025. She was already slated to take over the women’s first team next season, but her history with the men’s professional setup runs deeper. In 2023, she became the first woman to serve as an assistant coach in both the Bundesliga and the UEFA Champions League, working under Nenad Bjelica and Marco Grote. During that tenure, she frequently represented the club in press conferences while the head coach served a three-match suspension.
Horst Heldt, the director of professional football at Union Berlin, confirmed that Eta will guide the team through the final five matches of the current season. The club currently sits in 11th place with 32 points, holding a seven-point cushion above St. Pauli, which occupies the relegation playoff spot.
Eta expressed her commitment to stabilizing the club during this critical final stretch. "I am glad that the club has entrusted me with this demanding responsibility," Eta said in a statement. "A strength of Union has been and is that, in situations like this, we unite all forces. I am convinced that we will secure the decisive points with the team."
The move signals a significant shift in the coaching landscape of European football. By stepping into the dugout, Eta moves past the barrier of assistant coaching roles and takes direct responsibility for the survival of a top-flight men’s club.