Marie-Louise Eta has been appointed as the interim head coach of Bundesliga club Union Berlin for the remainder of the season.
She becomes the first woman to lead a men’s team in the top five European football leagues, having previously stepped in as the club’s assistant coach.
Eta, set to take over as Union Berlin’s women’s head coach this summer, was in charge of their U-19 men’s team but was promoted following the dismissal of Steffen Baumgart after a 3-1 loss to bottom side FC Heidenheim.
Capped 50 times up to U-23 level, she helped Germany win the U-20 World Cup and the U-17 Euros, going on to manage three of the women’s national development sides.
Whilst a player at Turbine Potsdam, she won the Champions League, claimed three Bundesliga titles in successive seasons, two of which were double-winning campaigns with the DFB Cup.
Eta told fc-union-berlin.de: “Given the points gap in the lower half of the table, our place in the Bundesliga is not yet secure. I am delighted that 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. And, of course, I am convinced that we will secure the crucial points with the team.”
