Marie-Louise Eta Breaks Ground as First Female Coach in Men's Top League

Apr 19, 2026

62 min

Apr 19, 2026 09:31

Meet Marie-Louise Eta, the first woman to manage a men’s team in one of Europe’s top five leagues

## Historic Appointment Marie-Louise Eta has made history by becoming the first woman to coach a men's team in one of Europe's top five football leagues. She took charge of Union Berlin in the Bundesliga, marking a significant milestone in her career.

## Challenging Debut Eta's debut match saw Union Berlin face a 2-1 defeat against Wolfsburg, who had not won in their previous 12 games. Despite the loss, Eta expressed satisfaction with her team's performance and their adherence to the game plan.

## Fan Support and Team Changes Union Berlin fans showed strong support, chanting "football goddess" during the lineup announcement. Eta, previously an assistant coach at Union, made strategic changes to the team, including bringing back veteran player Christopher Trimmel.

## Future Prospects Eta's appointment is temporary, with four matches remaining in her interim role. Union Berlin's president has confirmed she will return to coaching the women's team next season, regardless of her performance with the men's team.

## Mixed Reactions While Eta's appointment has been celebrated, it has also faced criticism. Some negative comments surfaced online, but the club responded with a firm defense of their coach. Eta remains focused on her task of securing Union Berlin's place in the Bundesliga.

Read the full story at the source

What you need to know to get Emirates ID?

Leave your details and get a guide as a gift to avoid mistakes

Article contents