This week, soccer made two big statements about women coaches. The rather larger one happened in the United States, where the women’s national team landed Emma Hayes. Her Chelsea team has become the dominant force in the English Women’s Super League. She will be the soccer world’s highest-paid women’s coach – equal to the U.S. men’s coach.

Somewhat smaller, but closer to home (for me), my adopted hometown club, Union Berlin, has hired Marie-Louise Eta as an assistant. She will be the first woman to coach in Germany’s top men’s league. We’ve written on the trend before. Signs suggest it’s just getting started.