Union Berlin announced Monday that Marie-Louise Eta will take over as interim manager of its men's professional team, replacing Steffen Baumgart.
Eta, 34, becomes the first woman to coach a team in the Bundesliga. She also becomes the first female manager to lead a club across Europe's five major leagues: Germany, Spain, France, England, and Italy.
The appointment follows a 3-1 defeat against Heidenheim on Saturday. The club is currently fighting to avoid relegation from the first division.
Eta previously coached the club's youth squad. She will manage the men's side for the final five matches of the season before officially taking over as head coach of the Union Berlin women's team.
A historic appointment
"I am glad that the club has entrusted me with this demanding task," Eta said in a club statement. "A strength of Union has been, and continues to be, that in such a situation, we bring all our forces together. I am convinced that with the team, we will achieve the necessary points."
Eta's coaching trajectory includes a stint as a co-coach in the Bundesliga and the Champions League in 2023.
Before her coaching career, Eta played professionally for clubs including BV Cloppenburg and Werder Bremen. She retired from active play at age 26 under her maiden name, Bagehorn.
Her playing credentials include winning the European Under-17 Championship in 2008. She also competed in the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup and earned caps for the Under-23 national team.