Chelsea have confirmed the appointment of former Lyon head coach Sonia Bompastor as Emma Hayes’ successor.
The Athletic reported in February Chelsea had offered Bompastor a contract after she was identified as the chosen candidate to replace Hayes.
The 43-year-old joins on a four-year deal after a compensation fee was paid to Lyon.
It was agreed any official announcement of Bompastor’s appointment with the Women’s Super League (WSL) club would not come before Saturday’s Champions League final, which her Lyon side lost to Barcelona.
Camille Abily and Theo Rivrin are joining Bompastor from the Lyon coaching staff too, with interviews underway for other backroom coaching roles at Chelsea.
General manager Paul Green said: “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.”
Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley, Chelsea’s co-sporting directors, added: “Sonia is the ideal candidate to build on Emma’s legacy and take the team forward. She brings a wealth of experience from managing at the highest levels and winning trophies as a player and a coach.
“Her ethos and values align with Chelsea Football Club. We are all looking forward to having her on board.”
Hayes won a fifth WSL title in a row in her final game in charge (Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
Hayes announced in November she was leaving Chelsea after 12 years in charge and her appointment as the USWNT’s head coach was later confirmed.
Hayes secured a fifth WSL title in a row — and seventh overall — with victory in her final game in charge earlier this month.
Bompastor, who is of Portuguese descent and speaks English, was promoted from her role within the Lyon academy to the women’s head coach after the sacking of Jean-Luc Vasseur in April 2021.
In her first full season in charge, Bompastor led the French club to a double as they won the Division 1 Feminine and the Women’s Champions League. Lyon won the league with 21 victories and one draw in 22 games and then beat holders Barcelona 3-1 in the final of the Champions League.
Lyon retained their league title the following campaign but fell at the quarter-final stage of the Champions League, losing a penalty shootout to Chelsea after a 2-2 aggregate tie over two legs.
Bompastor also enjoyed a highly successful playing career, winning eight league titles across her stints at Montpellier and Lyon, as well as two Champions Leagues at the latter.
She was capped 156 times by the France national team and also represented La Roche-sur-Yon, Washington Freedom and PSG.
Defeat in Bilbao to Barcelona denied Bompastor a double after Lyon secured the French league title with a win over Paris Saint-Germain earlier this month.
(Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
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