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Union Berlin appoint Marie-Louise Eta as interim head coach, making Bundesliga history as the first woman to lead a men’s top-flight side amid a late-season slump.
Union Berlin’s Marie-Loiuse Eta continues to pave the way for women in football management (X/UnionBerlinFC)
Union Berlin have hit the reset button yet again, and made history while doing it.
The Bundesliga side confirmed late Saturday that assistant coach Marie-Louise Eta will take charge as interim head coach until the end of the season, following the dismissal of Steffen Baumgart.
The men’s first team will tackle the final phase of the season under the leadership of Marie-Louise Eta, previously coach of the U-19s and future head coach of the women’s first team.“One of Union’s strengths has always been, and remains, the ability to pull together in such… pic.twitter.com/gzfSJoORqW
— 1. FC Union Berlin (English) (@fcunion_en) April 11, 2026
A Historic Appointment
Eta’s appointment to the top post comes as a landmark moment — as the 32-year-old becomes the first woman ever to officially serve as head coach of a men’s team in the Bundesliga.
The decision comes on the back of a damaging 3-1 defeat to FC Heidenheim. With just one win in their last six matches, the Berlin club has slipped to 11th place on 32 points, dangerously drifting toward the lower end of the table.
Eta’s Resume Speaks For Itself
This isn’t the first time Eta made headlines.
In November 2023, she became the league’s first female assistant coach, and in January 2024, she led the team from the touchline during a 1-0 win over Darmstadt while then-boss Nenad Bjelica was suspended.
This time, though, she’s the one in charge. Period.
Eta’s Journey From Player To Pioneer
A former defensive midfielder, Eta’s journey has been anything but conventional. She retired at 26 and quickly transitioned into coaching, starting with youth teams at Werder Bremen.
As a player, she enjoyed success with Turbine Potsdam, winning the UEFA Women’s Champions League in 2010 and multiple Bundesliga titles. She later built her coaching resume across Germany’s youth setups and earned her pro license from the national federation academy in Frankfurt.
Eta joined Union Berlin last summer and has since worked across multiple roles, including with the U19 side and the women’s team setup.
Berlin’s Aim? Stabilise and Survive
Union’s hierarchy is banking on a “new voice bounce” to stop the slide and steady the ship during a tense run-in.
“Staying in the Bundesliga is not yet secured,” Eta said. “One of Union’s strengths has always been to pool all our resources together… I am convinced that we will secure the decisive points.”
April 12, 2026, 07:49 IST
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