First head coach in the men’s Bundesliga: Marie-Louise Eta: “It was a special role that I never wanted”

interview

As of: June 2, 2026 • 12:35 p.m

Marie-Louise Eta became the first female head coach in the Bundesliga at Union Berlin. In the conversation, Eta talks about the huge media hype surrounding her, her experiences as a woman in the male-dominated world of football, hate comments on the Internet and her future.

Marie-Louise Eta made history as the first female head coach in the Bundesliga. The 34-year-old managed to stay in the league with 1. FC Union Berlin, and at the same time she was a topic among media and fans around the world.

In an interview with rbb|24 reporter Stephanie Baczyk, Eta talks about the huge media hype surrounding her, her experiences as a woman in the male-dominated world of football, hate comments on the Internet and her future.

rbb|24: Ms. Eta, did you always know that you wanted to become a trainer?

Marie-Louise Eta: No. The idea came about at some point during my time as a player. With the first experiences and trainer licenses, things came little by little.

rbb|24: You have at Hamburger SV, Werder Bremen and Turbine Potsdam played, are multiple German champions and Champions League winners. Your coaching career began at Werder Bremen, right?

Eta: Already a little before. In 2013, I founded a soccer team with my husband: TuS Schwachhausen. Schwachhausen always sounds funny at first, but it is a district in Bremen. My husband played football there back then. When we were sitting with the club’s sporting director after training, the idea of ​​starting a women’s team came up. The idea became reality. I was responsible for a team for the first time, was able to gain my first experience and consciously got my first coaching licenses. I quickly realized that I enjoyed it.

rbb|24: In 2023 you made the leap from Bremen to Berlin to Union. What was the reason for that?

Eta: I achieved a big goal in 2023 by completing my pro trainer license. At the time I was employed by the DFB, but I realized that I wanted to have everyday football back – being on the pitch every day, supporting a team and working towards something together at the weekend. I knew Marco Grote from my time at Werder Bremen and one thing led to another and I decided on Union Berlin.

rbb|24: She and Grote worked together at Union Berlin’s U19s, but were suddenly entrusted with a big mission in 2023 when they took charge of the men threatened with relegation together. Ultimately they managed to stay in the league. Even back when you took over as assistant coach, there was a huge hype about you. How do you feel knowing that a lot of people are looking at women in men’s football?

Eta: This topic has been with me for many years. Accordingly, I have an understanding for it, because – as you have noticed – it is not yet completely normal. On the other hand, it was a special role that I never wanted. I never wanted to be reduced to being a woman. For me it’s about football and working with people. This gives me so much joy.

rbb|24: Have you been raised and socialized to believe that you can do anything as a woman? Or did that only come over time?

Eta: I think that came through sport. He showed me that if you are hardworking, always want to improve and do things with a lot of heart, you can achieve a lot. Football was there for me from a young age. Ever since I could walk, I’ve had a ball on my foot. I started out in boys’ football back then, but my gender never played a big role. It was always about being as good as possible. Of course, I’ve also noticed sayings: “Don’t let a girl play you” or “There’s a girl playing along.” But that actually just spurred me on more and more (laughs).

rbb|24: You were briefly in Nenad Bjelica’s coaching team and then returned to the U19 team. But then later this year there was a conversation with club president Dirk Zingler about your future. How did the decision come about that you will take over the 1st women’s team?

Eta: The opportunity arose because Ailien Poese decided that she should not continue with the 1st women. Then there were discussions about what would be best for me and the club. It wasn’t an easy decision because I really liked the role in the U19. For me it was always important to work in an ambitious environment where you can develop yourself, but there is also fundamental development within the club.

rbb|24: On April 11th, the Union men lost 3-1 in Heidenheim. Coach Steffen Baumgart was fired that evening. How did it go then? Have you been called on the sofa?

Eta: That’s exactly how it actually was. I was at home that Saturday evening preparing for the upcoming U19 boys game and was sitting on my laptop. Then my phone rang. Mr. Zingler called and told me succinctly that I would be taking over the men’s team for the next five weeks.

rbb|24: That doesn’t exactly sound like he was asking you what you wanted, but more like a request.

Eta: It was more of a request, yes. But at the end he also asked me if I wanted to do it (laughs).

rbb|24: The way I got to know you is that you just do it first. But meanwhile the whole world was reporting on you. How did you perceive the great interest in you back then?

Eta: In fact, I hardly had the time to deal with reports about me and read comments about me. This was brought to me externally. For me it was about preparing as best as I could for the upcoming game against Wolfsburg. I had enough to do then.

rbb|24: A request because this topic is currently an important part of our society. The Internet is often a legal vacuum. There are a lot of sexist comments therewhich not only affect you as a trainer, but all women. How do you deal with such things?

Eta: I usually don’t even read comments. I’ve never paid much attention to it because, as you rightly say, it’s a social issue. Comments like this say more about the person who writes them than about me. That’s why I don’t let anything like that get close to me. I am rather pleased about the many positive reports and comments.

rbb|24: Have the positive comments about you increased?

Eta: Yes, definitely. I received a lot of messages, some even from South America or Australia. From girls and women, but also – I’m very happy – from men who write to me saying how great they think it is and how strongly they are rooting for me. Trainers have also written to me and used me as a role model.

rbb|24: When you look back over the five men’s games, what stuck?

Eta: I remember him fondly last matchday in the Alte Försterei against FC Augsburg (4-0 win, editor’s note). A beautiful day, also in the way we played. You could feel the stadium getting louder and louder and the people were just happy. Of course, there was also pressure at the time because relegation was not yet assured and points had to be scored. But we also wanted to develop players further and get them on a personal level. I can take a lot with me for the upcoming task with women.

rbb|24: President Dirk Zingler said there was no question of you staying with the men beyond the five games. Was that clear to you at all times and what you wanted?

Eta: Yes, that was so clearly communicated and therefore not an issue for me.

Thank you for the conversation!

The interview led Stephanie Baczyk. This text is an edited and shortened version.

Broadcast: rbb24 Inforadio, June 2, 2026, 11:15 a.m

Audio: rbb24 Inforadio, June 2, 2026, Stephanie Baczyk in an interview with Marie-Louise Eta.