Former Nigeria International John Chukwudi Utaka has been named the Head Coach of Montpellier HSC Women. He was a men’s youth coach at the club academy till the appointment. He is the only African coach in the 2025-26 Ligue 1 Feminine.
Utaka takes over from Senegal’s Frédéric Mendy. Mendy was recently sacked following Montpellier’s poor run of results. The 43-year-old will be assisted by Baptiste Marie and Jean-Louis Saez.
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Utaka spent two years as a player at Montpellier, winning the Ligue 1 title with the club in the 2011/2012 season. The former RC Lens forward was appointed as the club’s youth team coach in 2020. Utaka earned 48 caps for Nigeria, scoring six goals.
He was part of the Super Eagles squad that finished third at the 2006 Africa Cup of Nations in Tunisia. Utaka also represented Nigeria at two FIFA World Cups (2002 and 2010).
This marks a big step in Utaka’s coaching journey and makes him the only African head coach currently working in the French women’s top division.
Utaka is no stranger to Montpellier. As a player, he helped the men’s team win the Ligue 1 title in the 2011–2012 season, scoring two goals in the final match that sealed the historic championship
Utaka’s new role will also see him team up with Super Falcons striker Ifeoma Onumonu, who joined Montpellier earlier in the year
He earned his UEFA A Licence in 2022 and has been working as an assistant coach with Montpellier’s U19 men’s team.
Now, he steps into the top job for the women’s side at a crucial point in the season. Montpellier’s women’s team is currently fifth in the French Division 1 with 27 points after 19 matches. They are 11 points behind Bordeaux, who are in third place, while PSG and Lyon lead the league.
Congratulations to John Utaka.
