History as Union Berlin appoint female coach to avoid Bundesliga relegation
FC Union Berlin have announced a managerial shake-up ahead of the closing stretch of the campaign, with Marie-Louise Eta stepping in to guide the men’s side as they fight to retain their Bundesliga status.
In 2024, Eta became the first woman to take charge of a men’s team in a Bundesliga game, upon temporarily replacing Union Berlin’s head coach Nenad Bjelica, who was serving a three-game ban. Her recent appointment makes her the first ever female manager in the Bundesliga and the top five European football leagues.
As a player, the German manager was a midfielder for the Frauen-Bundesliga club Werder Bremen, among other teams.
Baumgart departs
The club confirmed on Saturday, April 11, 2026, that head coach Steffen Baumgart, alongside his assistants Danilo de Souza and Kevin McKenna, had been dismissed from their roles. Eta, who previously handled the U19 side and is set to take charge of the women’s first team next season, will now oversee the senior men’s squad for the remainder of the season.
Explaining the decision, Union’s director of men’s professional football Horst Heldt admitted: “We have had a hugely disappointing second half of the season so far and will not allow ourselves to be blinded by our league position. Our situation remains precarious and we urgently need points to secure our place in the league. Two wins from fourteen matches since the winter break and the performances shown in recent weeks do not give us the confidence that we can still turn things around with the current set-up. We have therefore decided to make a fresh start.”
Heldt expressed confidence in Eta’s appointment, adding: “I am delighted that Marie Louise Eta has agreed to take on this role on an interim basis before becoming head coach of the women’s professional team in the summer as planned.”
Paying tribute
He also paid tribute to the outgoing technical bench, saying: “We would like to thank Steffen Baumgart, Danilo de Souza and Kevin McKenna for their work, to whom we owe our secure survival in the league last season and a good points haul in the first half of this season. We wish them all the best, both professionally and personally.”
Looking ahead to the decisive fixtures, Eta acknowledged the magnitude of the challenge, noting: “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.”
Eta assumes her new responsibilities immediately, with the club expected to name a replacement for the U19 coaching role in due course.
