Eta makes history today! She's a football coach first - and a woman second!

Today will be a special occasion in Berlin as a male Bundesliga team will have a female assistant for the very first time. Marie-Louise Eta will make history, but his story so far is already a testament to her unwavering dedication and hard work.

In March 2022, Eta attended the second part of her pro-license course in Cologne with 15 of her male colleagues after watching the match between Koln and Hoffenheim. The course was a pivotal moment in her career, and she received a confirmation email from the German Football Association, marking the beginning of her thrilling journey. Eta completed the course with flying colours, and today, she becomes a pioneer as Union Berlin host Augsburg.

Her passion for sports began in Dresden, in Eastern Germany, where she achieved significant milestones in Turbine Potsdam, winning championships and contributing to the Bundesliga squad as a player. After moving to Hamburger SV and other clubs, she retired from playing at 26 to pursue her coaching career. Eta started with youth teams at Werder Bremen and eventually progressed to association-level coaching with the German women's national team. In Union Berlin's youth development centre, she assisted Marco Grote in the U-19 Bundesliga Nord/Nordost before becoming an assistant coach in the Bundesliga.

For Eta, being a female coach does not define her role, and her focus remains on her expertise as a football teacher. Her gender's uniqueness among the participants in the pro-license course does not overshadow her passion and expertise, drawing from her experiences playing football among boys and coaching in youth development centres. While her debut garnered attention far beyond her role as an interim assistant coach, the football community's reception has been overwhelmingly positive.

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Overall, Eta's journey is a source of inspiration for aspiring coaches, especially women who are often underrepresented in the football industry. She has proven that with hard work, dedication, and a passion for the game, anything is possible.

For starters, getting some points for the relegation-battling Union would be quite an achievement!

BUNDESLIGA - Matchday 12

Friday

Koln - Bayern 0-1 (0-1)

/Kane 20/

Saturday

17.30: (1.53) Dortmund (4.50) M' gladbach (6.25)

17.30: (1.62) Freiburg (4.00) Darmstadt (6.00)

17.30: (2.14) Union Berlin (3.50) Augsburg (3.80)

17.30: (6.25) Werder (4.50) Leverkusen (1.53)

17.30: (4.00) Wolfsburg (3.60) RB Leipzig (2.04)

20.30: (2.65) Eintr.Frankfurt (3.35) Stuttgart (2.70)

Sunday

17.30: (2.35) Heidenheim (3.60) Bochum (3.20)

19.30: (1.94) Hoffenheim (3.60) Mainz (4.00)

***odds are subject to change