Union Berlin has made German football history by appointing Marie-Louise Eta as the first female head coach of a men's team in the Bundesliga, with the aim of securing their place in Germany's top football league.
The 34-year-old coach replaces the dismissed Steffen Baumgart, along with his assistants Danilo De Souza and Kevin McKenna, following a 3-1 loss to Heidenheim, the league's bottom-placed team.
The official announcement came shortly after midnight. Eta, who had previously coached the men's U19 team, was appointed earlier this month as the future head coach of the club's women's team, set to take over from the next season. Now, she will have five matches at her disposal to keep Union Berlin in the Bundesliga. Marie-Louise Eta had already set a record in 2023 when she became the first female assistant coach in the Bundesliga among Europe's top five leagues. In 2024, she temporarily replaced head coach Nenad Bjelica in media activities during a suspension period.
"It is a pleasure that Marie-Louise Eta accepted this interim role before taking charge of the women's team in the summer," said the club's sporting director, Horst Heldt.
Baumgart, a former Union Berlin player, was appointed during the winter break of the 2024-25 season to lead the team, but recent match results prompted the club's management to make this drastic change.
"The second half of the season has been completely disappointing, and the standings should not be misleading. Our situation remains delicate, and we urgently need points to stay in the Bundesliga," explained Heldt.
The loss to Heidenheim has left Union Berlin in 11th place in an 18-team league, with only a 7-point advantage over St. Pauli, who are currently in the relegation zone, with five matches remaining until the end of the season.
"Two wins in 14 matches after the winter break and recent performances do not give us confidence that the situation will improve with the current staff. That is why we decided to make a fresh start," added Heldt.
Union Berlin's next match is against Wolfsburg, another team involved in the battle for survival in the Bundesliga.