WHO IS EVA OLID? FROM TEACHER TRAINING TO THE NEW MANCHESTER UNITED WOMEN'S HEAD COACH

Women's football doesn't often produce overnight household names, but Eva Olid might be about to become one. Following her appointment as Manchester United Women's head coach today [August 5], Eva has gone from being one of the sport's best-kept secrets to one of its most searched-for figures.

Belonging to a generation of women for whom professional football wasn't always seen as a viable career, Olid trained as a teacher before forging a path into coaching; one that has now led her to one of the biggest jobs in the Women's Super League.

Who Is Eva Olid?

At just 40, the Sabadell-born coach is stepping into the biggest role of her career so far, taking charge of one of the Women's Super League's most high-profile clubs, Manchester United.

Despite her growing reputation within football, she has maintained a relatively low public profile. That changed almost overnight today. With a modest social media presence, her Instagram following surged from around 8,600 on the morning of August 5 in less than eight hours, as supporters rushed to learn more about the woman taking charge at one of England's biggest clubs.

Born and raised in Sabadell, Catalonia, Olid is affectionately known in local Catalan media as 'la sabadellenca', meaning 'the woman from Sabadell' - a nod to the city where her football journey began. She has often spoken proudly of her roots in the Ca n'Oriac neighbourhood, describing Sabadell as the place that shaped both her character and coaching philosophy.

Football was a family affair from an early age. Olid has recalled watching four or five matches every weekend with her football-mad father, while spending hours studying a Spanish league guide until she knew every team by heart. She played alongside boys before joining her local girls' team at the age of 10, the same club that would later help develop Ballon d'Or winner Alexia Putellas.

What is her background in football?

While Eva Olid may be a new name to many Manchester United supporters, she's spent years building an impressive coaching career.

Originally, Olid chose to study at university and train as a teacher while continuing to pursue her passion for the game. Speaking to The Coaches' Voice, she explained that coaching had always been her ambition, even if playing professionally wasn't a viable option at the time. That passion never faded, and she went on to build a reputation as one of women's football's most respected tacticians long before arriving in the Women's Super League.

The 40-year-old Spaniard most recently made history with Hearts, guiding the Scottish club to its first-ever Scottish Women's Premier League title before departing this summer. Before moving to Scotland, Olid coached in the United States with Houston Dynamo and also worked with the Catalan Football Association, earning a reputation for developing young players and implementing an attractive, attacking style of football.

It's this track record that ultimately convinced Manchester United to hand her one of the biggest jobs in the Women's Super League, as the club looks to build around homegrown talent and long-term success.

What does this mean for women's football?

Eva Olid arrives at Manchester United at a pivotal moment. She replaces Marc Skinner just a month before the start of the Women's Super League season, giving her little time to prepare for one of the biggest jobs in the women's game.

But her appointment also speaks to a much wider conversation about who gets to lead women's football as it continues to grow.

As investment, audiences and salaries have increased, women's teams have increasingly attracted established coaches from the men's game. While their experience has undoubtedly benefited the sport, it has also prompted debate over whether the professionalisation of women's football is creating as many leadership opportunities for women as it is for men.

That conversation is reflected in the numbers. Women account for just 5% of registered football coaches worldwide, according to research published in 2025, despite UEFA reporting that more than 2,400 women have earned a UEFA coaching licence through its dedicated programme since 2016. The pathway to the highest-profile jobs remains uneven.

Against this backdrop, Manchester United's decision to appoint Olid feels significant. Rather than turning to a well-known figure from the men's game, the club has backed a coach who has built her reputation entirely within women's football. Her arrival also increases the number of female head coaches in the WSL to five out of 14 (36%), although women remain in the minority in the league's dugouts.

Olid's appointment alone won't solve the gender imbalance in coaching. But it does offer a visible example of the career pathways women's football can create and perhaps a glimpse of a future where appointments like hers are no longer viewed as exceptional, but expected.

What has Eva Olid said about her new role?

In her first message to supporters, shared via a collaborative Instagram post with the club, Olid expressed her excitement about the challenge ahead, adding and perhaps a teaser of the style of football she plans to champion, 'I know they will enjoy watching us play.'

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2026-08-05T16:21:24Z