A first in Azerbaijani football history: a woman coach will manage a men's team!

Khachmaz's "Shimal" football team has successfully performed in the Azerbaijan 2nd League, securing bronze medals with 3 rounds remaining. With this, the club has gained the right to participate in the 1st League next season.

Starting preparations for the new league, "Shimal" has also strengthened its coaching staff. Zaur Ramazanov, who once played for "Bakili", "Karvan", "Khazar-Lankaran", "Qarabagh" clubs, and also played for the Azerbaijan national team, has been appointed as the head coach. Another notable appointment is related to the goalkeeping coach of the main team. Thus, for the first time in Azerbaijan, a woman coach has been appointed to a men's football team. In the "Shimal" team, this position was entrusted to 28-year-old young specialist Zulfiyya Bayramova.

QOL.az reports that Zulfiyya Bayramova said in an interview with AZERTAC agency regarding her appointment as a coach in the "Shimal" team that she has had a "C" category coaching certificate since 2018. She obtained this category by participating in coaching trainings conducted by AFFA.

"I have been playing football in various teams for more than thirteen years. I play as a goalkeeper. In addition, I have completed coaching courses. Before that, I had coaching experience in children's teams. I received an offer from the "Shimal" football club, which represents my hometown, to become the goalkeeping coach of the main team. This team is not foreign to me. Fazil Salahov, who has contributed to my development as a football player, is also in the club's coaching staff. He played a big role in my transfer to the club. We have signed a contract with the club until the end of the 2025-2026 season. Currently, "Shimal" is playing its last games in the 2nd League. From the next season, we will play in the 1st League. I will start active work in the team as part of preparations for the 1st League. I am ready to provide all possible assistance to the team of my hometown," said Zulfiyya Bayramova.

Zulfiyya was born on April 4, 1997, in the village of Arzu in Khachmaz. Since childhood, she played football with boys in the neighborhood. Since 2012, she started playing for a club in Khachmaz at the amateur level. During her talented goalkeeper career, she played for the teams "ShKGB" (Khachmaz), "Qusar", "Bina" (Baku), "Sumgayit", "Gabala", "Inter" (Khachmaz). She became the champion and silver medalist of Azerbaijan with "Gabala". Since last year, she has been a member of the "Baku Juniors" women's football team.

Our interlocutor also defended the honor of the Azerbaijan national women's team. The young Khachmaz resident, who mostly performed the function of a reserve goalkeeper in the national team, also participated in a number of international competitions.

"Working in a men's team does not scare me. They say, "A lion has no gender." I have always worked in men's teams in my football career. I hope that this appointment will lead to an increase in my career," said Zulfiyya Bayramova.