Chelsea announced on Wednesday that they have appointed Sonia Bompastor from Lyon replace Emma Hayes as manager.
ESPN reported in April that Bompastor was Chelsea’s top candidate and that the coach had agreed on personal terms alongside her assistant manager, Camille Abily. Bompastor has signed a four-year deal with Chelsea and will begin her new role on July 1.
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Bompastor said of her move: “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.”
Paul Green, Chelsea’s general manager, added: “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.”
Hayes announced in November that she would be departing Chelsea at the end of the season to take charge of the United States women’s national team after 12 years with the west London team.
During that stint she has become the most successful manager in the Women’s Super League, leading the side to seven WSL titles, five FA Cups and two league cups, and clinching the most recent league triumph with a 6-0 win over Manchester United on the final day of the season.
However, Bompastor is the only female coach to have won the Women’s Champions League in the last 15 years — the only trophy to have eluded Hayes during her tenure — having been in charge of the record eight-time title winners, Lyon, since 2021.
After an illustrious playing career that saw her capped by France 156 times for and captain Lyon to two Champions League titles (2011 and 2012), she became part of the backroom staff in 2013 following Jean-Luc Vasseur’s departure.
Bompastor was identified as Chelsea’s top candidate despite having signed a new deal with the French team until 2025, with the club also considering NWSL managers Casey Stoney and Laura Harvey.
Chelsea were on course for a quadruple before they lost the Conti Cup final 1-0 to Arsenal and were knocked out of the FA Cup by Manchester United. They were narrowly defeated in the Champions League semifinals by holders Barcelona.
Bompastor’s Lyon suffered the same fate as Chelsea in Saturday’s final, being beaten 2-0 by Barça at San Mamés in Bilbao, Spain.
