Clermont Foot announced on its Facebook page early this month its newly appointed coach, Helena Costa.

Costa will be the first female to coach the French professional club, Clermont Foot 63, as well as in the top two of Europe's five biggest leagues.

Before her appointment Clermont Foot, she was coach to a Benfica youth team and won second place in the 2005 national championships. Through the course of her career, Helena Costa proceeded to work with women's team from 2006 to 2014 where she helped bring two national league titles to the 1^o Dezembro, promoted Odivelas to top flight as champions, and led Qatar's first ever victory against the Maldives in 2012. This year, she left her coaching post with Iran's women's national team to take on the job for Clermont, BBC reports.

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On Thursday, the French club introduced its new coach to the media which was heavily attended by more than a hundred journalists and a number of the team's players.

Costa acknowledged that being a woman in a male-dominated sport is hard but was full of optimism. She believes that her appointment as Clermont's new coach will open doors for other women in the field.

However, she said her skills as a coach should be evaluated not on the basis of her gender but on her performance and accomplishments.

She adds candidly that the year is now 2014, well into the 21^st century and that this "should be a normal thing."

She has already outlined her main objective, which is to win and described herself as demanding with herself and her team.

Fans of the French club showed surprised at the announcement but nevertheless still offers its full support to the team and its new coach.

Costa will be taking management of Clermont Foot in June when former player, Regis Brouard will hand over the reins at the end of the season when his contract ends.

Clermont Foot is currently placed 14^th in Ligue 2.

Tagsfemale coach, woman coach, football club, ligue 2, clermont foot, Regis Brouard, helena costa, Sports news, first female