( CNN ) -- Helena Costa spent an hour talking about her landmark job as France 's first ever professional female coach for a male team Thursday but her message was simple and succinct . `` Look at me as a normal coach , '' said the 36-year-old as she was unveiled by second-tier side Clermont Foot . Costa is the first female to be given the head job in the top two divisions of one of Europe 's big five leagues -- Spain , Germany , England , Italy and France . More than 100 journalists -- as well as some of the club 's players -- assembled at the Clermont stadium to meet the Portuguese who is hoping her appointment will inspire other female coaches . `` I know it 's a big step , '' said Costa , who left her role as coach of the Iranian national women 's team to accept the position with Clermont . `` I know because I had a career before in a man 's world mainly , so I know it 's an important day and it can open other doors , or not . `` I understand your surprise and the quantity of press and the impact but , we are in 2014 , it should be a normal thing . '' Costa , a sports science graduate , has been rewarded following her work with the Iran and Qatar women 's national teams . She also led Benfica 's male youth team to two World Youth titles and spent time as a scout with Scottish club Celtic . Her reputation has even spawned the nickname `` Mourinho in a skirt '' in her home country , a reference to Portugal 's most high-profile football manager , Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho . The football season has just finished in France and Clermont Foot finished 14th in Ligue 2 but Costa already has big plans for her first season in charge . `` I think that as in all leagues , if a club does n't have a huge budget that does n't mean that the players should not be ambitious and committed , '' she said . `` Between the team we will define our objectives but winning is the common word that we are going to speak . I 'm here to win . `` I 'm a demanding person with myself and my team , but especially with myself . '' Costa will find herself under extra external scrutiny too as the highest profile female coach of a male professional football team in Europe . The 36-year-old is also pushing boundaries in France where match official Nelly Viennot previously broke new ground as an assistant referee , also featuring in Champions League games . Sexist society . French football writer Caroline Bauer told CNN World Sport that Costa 's appointment was something of a shock . `` French society is a little bit sexist in sport , really sexist , '' she said . `` So it was a big surprise and a lot of people said it was a bad idea . `` At first in France everybody thought that Clermont just wanted to create a buzz with the appointment . `` But then Helena Costa came to France two weeks ago and she spoke a lot to the French media and she explained who she was . `` Now we understand that she has a real project with Clermont and she wants to prove she can be a real coach like men . '' Costa will get her first chance to prove herself when the new French soccer season begins late summer .
Helena Costa is first female to be given top coaching job in top two tiers of Europe 's big five leagues . `` Look at me as a normal coach , '' says the new boss of French club Clermont Foot . The former France international has been appointed head coach of France's second division side for next season and will take charge from June 1. The Portuguese coach is dubbed `` Mourinho in a skirt '' in her home country .