The Women’s Super League champions Chelsea on Wednesday announced the appointment of Sonia Bompastor as their new head coach on a four-year contract.
Bompastor will leave Olympique Lyonnais to replace Emma Hayes, who left Chelsea at the end of the season after nearly 12 years in charge to become head coach of the United States Women’s National Team.
Bompastor, 43, was a 156-cap French national team player before retiring in 2013, and he will take over as Lyon’s first-team coach in April 2021.
In her first full season in charge, she led Lyon to a league and European double, becoming the first person to win the UEFA Women’s Champions League both as a player and as a head coach.
“I am incredibly grateful to join Chelsea Football Club as the head coach of the women’s team. It is an institution in English football,” Bompastor said on Chelsea website.
“I hope to live up to Emma’s legacy and continue the work that has been done in recent years. Let the adventure begin.”
The club has also announced a long-term plan for its women’s team. BDT & MSD Partners, an American global merchant bank, has partnered with Chelsea as financial consultants regarding a prospective minority ownership in the club.
