Mari Louis Eta Becomes First Female Head Coach in Bundesliga

Union Berlin has appointed Mari Louis Eta as their interim head coach, making her the first woman to manage a men's team in one of Europe's top five leagues. This appointment follows the dismissal of Steffen Baumgart after his team suffered a 3-1 defeat to bottom side FC Heidenheim.

Union Berlin currently sits 11th in the Bundesliga, 11 points clear of the automatic relegation zone, with five matches remaining in the season. Eta, 34, is no stranger to breaking barriers; she became the Bundesliga's first female assistant coach in November 2023 and made history again in January 2024 when she led a Bundesliga team from the touchline during a 1-0 victory over Darmstadt.

Her contract is set to last until the end of the current season, and she takes over from Nenad Bjelica, who is serving a suspension.