Female coach Sabrina Wittmann blazing a lonely trail in men’s soccer in Germany

BERLIN (AP) — As the first and only woman to be appointed head coach of a men’s professional soccer team in Germany, Sabrina Wittmann faces more pressure and scrutiny than most of her counterparts.

Wittmann has been the coach of her hometown club, third-division Ingolstadt, since May 2024, when she took over for the last four games of the season. Ingolstadt didn’t lose any and won the Bavarian Cup, and Wittmann made history when she was given the job on a permanent basis that June.

“I opened the door a little for women.