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Eva Olid

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Eva Olid
Olid in 2026
Personal information
Full name Eva Olid Nicolás
Date of birth (1985-08-28) 28 August 1985 (age 41)
Place of birth Sabadell, Spain
Team information
Current team
 Manchester United (head coach)
Managerial career
Years Team
2021–2026 Heart of Midlothian
2026– Manchester United

Eva Olid Nicolás (born 28 August 1985) is a Spanish football manager who is the head coach of Manchester United in the Women's Super League. She previously managed Heart of Midlothian from 2021 to 2026, overseeing the team's transition from amateur to semi-professional football and leading them to their first Women's Scottish Cup final in 2024 and their first Scottish Women's Premier League title in 2025–26.

Olid was named the PFA Scotland SWPL Manager of the Year in 2026. She holds a UEFA Pro Licence, the highest coaching qualification issued by UEFA.

Early life and education

[edit]

Olid grew up in Ca n'Oriac, a neighbourhood of Sabadell in Catalonia.[1] She began playing football with boys at the age of seven. At ten, she told her father that she wanted to play with girls, and later played for Sabadell and La Planada.[2][1]

As opportunities in women's football were limited and players had to meet expenses including travel and kit, Olid chose to concentrate on her education rather than pursue playing. She studied teacher training in English language and physical education.[2][1]

Career

[edit]

Early coaching career

[edit]

Olid began coaching at the age of 26 with Sant Quirze in the third tier of Spanish women's football. In her first season, the team achieved what Olid described as the highest league position in the club's history. She subsequently spent several years coaching in the boys' academy at Sant Cugat FC before returning to women's football with Sabadell.[2][3]

At Sabadell, Olid coached youth and first-team players and became head of women's football, overseeing both the academy and senior team. She also coached footballers with disabilities.[2]

In 2019, Olid moved to the United States after Houston Dynamo offered her her first professional coaching contract. Based in Louisiana, she worked in the club's academy with the men's under-19 and women's teams, and also worked with semi-professional side Louisiana Krewe.[2][4]

The COVID-19 pandemic ended opportunities she had been considering in the United States, and Olid returned to Spain. She subsequently joined the Catalan Football Federation, where she worked on coaching methodology and coordinated the federation's representative teams.[2][3] While working there, she remained in contact with Fran Alonso, then manager of Celtic, who told her that Hearts were seeking a new manager. Olid applied for the position after being asked to present her coaching methodology and playing model.[2][3]

Heart of Midlothian

[edit]

On 11 July 2021, Olid was appointed manager of the women's team of Scottish club Heart of Midlothian, succeeding Andy Kirk. Hearts had finished bottom of the Scottish Women's Premier League the previous season, avoiding relegation after the league was expanded, and finished eighth in Olid's first season in charge.[5][6]

Hearts became semi-professional for the 2022–23 season and finished fourth, their highest league position at the time. They finished fourth again in 2023–24.[6][7] In August 2023, Olid signed a new two-year contract.[8]

On 17 April 2024, Hearts beat Rangers 1–0, their first victory against one of the three clubs that had dominated the Scottish women's top flight.[9] The following month, Olid led Hearts to their first Women's Scottish Cup final, where they lost 2–0 to Rangers at Hampden Park.[10]

Hearts finished fifth in 2024–25. During the season they recorded their first victories over Celtic, beginning with a 1–0 win in October 2024.[11][6] In April 2025, Olid signed another contract running until the summer of 2026, with an option for a further year.[12]

Hearts challenged for the league title during the 2025–26 season. Their first victory over Glasgow City in April 2026 moved them to the top of the table.[6] On 9 April, Hearts announced that Olid would leave at the end of the season by mutual agreement and that the option to extend her contract would not be taken up.[6] In May, she was named the PFA Scotland SWPL Manager of the Year.[13]

Olid's final match in charge was a 2–0 defeat by Hibernian on 24 May 2026. Hearts nevertheless won their first SWPL title after Rangers lost 6–0 to Glasgow City, leaving Olid's side two points clear at the top of the table.[14] The championship also secured Hearts' first qualification for European competition.[15]

Manchester United

[edit]

On 5 August 2026, Olid was appointed head coach of Manchester United in the Women's Super League, succeeding Marc Skinner, who had left the club by mutual agreement two days earlier. She signed a contract until June 2028, with the option of a further year.[16] United said Olid's record of developing players and establishing a playing style at Hearts were factors in her appointment.[17]

Olid's first competitive match in charge was the opening game of the 2026–27 Women's Super League season on 4 September, a 2–1 away defeat to London City Lionesses.[18]

Coaching style

[edit]

Olid favours a possession-based style, with an emphasis on building play from the goalkeeper and drawing opponents forward before playing through or beyond their first line of pressure. At Hearts, she used short passing distances, third-player combinations and positional overloads, while encouraging players to switch play when opponents defended in compact blocks. She also instructed her teams to remain close together in possession so that they could counter-press after losing the ball.[2]

Olid has also used more direct approaches when space is available behind an opposing defence. During Hearts' title-winning 2025–26 season, the team recorded the most direct attacks in the SWPL, with 53, and the second-most fast breaks, with 22, while also ranking second for build-up attacks.[19]

Managerial statistics

[edit]
As of match played 27 September 2026

Statistics include competitive matches only.[20]

Managerial record by team and tenure
Team From To Record
G W D L Win %
Heart of Midlothian 11 July 2021 24 May 2026 167822065049.10
Manchester United 5 August 2026 present 5212040.00
Career total 172842167048.84

Honours

[edit]

Heart of Midlothian

[edit]

Individual

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. 1 2 3 Sánchez, Jordi (16 November 2021). "Eva Olid: de Ca n'Oriac a entrenar a la Primera Divisió escocesa" [Eva Olid: from Ca n'Oriac to coaching in the Scottish Premier Division]. iSabadell (in Catalan). Retrieved 22 September 2026.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Bloomfield, Craig (12 January 2025). "Passion and knowledge". Coaches' Voice. Retrieved 22 September 2026.
  3. 1 2 3 Wrack, Suzanne (23 April 2026). "Leaving present? Eva Olid takes Hearts Women within sight of historic title". The Guardian. Retrieved 22 September 2026.
  4. ↑ "La entrenadora catalana Eva Olid acaba con éxito su aventura americana". Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 23 November 2019. Retrieved 22 September 2026.
  5. ↑ "Hearts women: Eva Olid takes over at Edinburgh side as boss". BBC Sport. 11 July 2021. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 Canavan, Amy (9 April 2026). "Olid to leave SWPL leaders Hearts at end of season". BBC Sport. Retrieved 22 September 2026.
  7. ↑ Wrack, Suzanne (23 April 2026). "Leaving present? Eva Olid takes Hearts Women within sight of historic title". The Guardian. Retrieved 22 September 2026.
  8. ↑ "Eva's Hearts Extension". Heart of Midlothian F.C. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
  9. ↑ "Hearts v Rangers". BBC Sport. 17 April 2024. Retrieved 22 September 2026.
  10. ↑ "Rangers beat resolute Hearts to lift first ever Scottish Cup". BBC Sport. 26 May 2024. Retrieved 22 September 2026.
  11. ↑ "Match Report: Hearts 1-0 Celtic". Heart of Midlothian F.C. 13 October 2024. Retrieved 22 September 2026.
  12. ↑ "Hearts boss Olid extends contract". BBC Sport. 25 April 2025. Retrieved 22 September 2026.
  13. 1 2 "PFA Scotland Player of the Year Awards 2026". PFA Scotland. 4 May 2026. Retrieved 22 September 2026.
  14. ↑ "Olid 'in shock' after Hearts' SWPL title win". BBC Sport. 24 May 2026. Retrieved 22 September 2026.
  15. ↑ Canavan, Amy (24 May 2026). "From amateurs to SWPL champions - how Olid transformed Hearts". BBC Sport. Retrieved 22 September 2026.
  16. ↑ Garry, Tom (5 August 2026). "'Dream come true': Eva Olid delighted after being named Manchester United's new head coach". The Guardian. Retrieved 22 September 2026.
  17. ↑ "Olid appointed United Women head coach". Manchester United F.C. 5 August 2026. Retrieved 22 September 2026.
  18. ↑ "Van de Donk seals London City win over Man United in WSL curtain-raiser". Reuters. 4 September 2026. Retrieved 22 September 2026.
  19. ↑ Clogg, Emily (6 August 2026). "Eva Olid Turned Hearts Into Title-Winners – Can She Do the Same at Man Utd?". Opta Analyst. Retrieved 22 September 2026.
  20. ↑ "Eva Olid - All matches". Soccerdonna. Retrieved 22 September 2026.
  21. ↑ "Manchester United hire Olid to lead women's team". Reuters. 5 August 2026. Retrieved 22 September 2026.
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