Chelsea have confirmed the appointment of 43-year-old Sonia Bompastor from Lyon as their new manager of the women football club, succeeding Emma Hayes on Wednesday.
In April, Bompastor was identified as Chelsea’s primary candidate, and she, along with her assistant Camille Abily, agreed to personal terms. Bompastor has signed a four-year contract and will commence her duties on July 1.
Speaking on her move, Bompastor said, “I am incredibly grateful to join Chelsea Football Club as the manager of the women’s team. It is an institution in English football. I will give my all to this new project to meet the ambitions of the club, the staff and the players.
“I hope to live up to Emma’s legacy and continue the work that has been done in recent years. Let the adventure begin.”
Chelsea’s general manager, Paul Green commented, “The sporting directors and I conducted a thorough and considered recruitment process to identify Emma’s successor.”
“Sonia’s vision, coaching philosophy and winning mentality made her the outstanding candidate. She is a world-class coach with a proven track record of success on the biggest stages that will instantly command respect from the dressing room.”
In November, Emma Hayes announced her departure from Chelsea at the end of the season to lead the United States women’s national team after a 12-year tenure with the west London club.
During her time at Chelsea, Hayes became the most successful manager in Women’s Super League history, securing seven WSL titles, five FA Cups, and two League Cups. She capped her remarkable run with a 6-0 victory over Manchester United to clinch the most recent league title.
Sonia Bompastor stands out as the only female coach to win the Women’s Champions League in the past 15 years, a feat Hayes did not achieve.
Bompastor has led Lyon, the record eight-time Champions League winners, since 2021. Her illustrious playing career includes 156 caps for France and captaining Lyon to two Champions League titles in 2011 and 2012. She joined Lyon’s backroom staff in 2013 after Jean-Luc Vasseur’s departure.
Despite signing a new deal with Lyon until 2025, Bompastor was Chelsea’s top candidate, with the club also considering NWSL managers Casey Stoney and Laura Harvey.
Chelsea, aiming for a quadruple, fell short after losing the Conti Cup final to Arsenal, being knocked out of the FA Cup by Manchester United, and narrowly losing in the Champions League semifinals to Barcelona.
Similarly, Bompastor’s Lyon experienced a setback, losing 2-0 to Barcelona in the Champions League final at San Mamés in Bilbao, Spain.
