The Government of Saint Lucia this week celebrated the historic achievement of Lyndon Cooper, the first Saint Lucian to hold the office of president of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU).
Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre hosted a reception in honour of the veteran football administrator, who was appointed to the role in March. Members of the local football community gathered at the Prime Minister’s official residence in Vigie to commend Cooper on his milestone accomplishment.
Pierre spoke to Cooper’s elevation and his role in guiding the domestic game over nearly 15 years. Cooper was first elected to head the Saint Lucia Football Association in September 2011. During that period, he has overseen the execution of two major capital projects. The SLFA has established its headquarters in La Clery, purchasing the property with support from FIFA. The association also built a technical centre in Grande Riviere, Dennery, after over a decade in abeyance.
On the field of play, Cooper has overseen one of the most successful periods ever for the national youth football team at the regional level. The Under-15 and Under-19 national teams have excelled in CFU competitions and have beaten higher-ranked teams up to the Concacaf level.
The senior men’s national team has not been as successful. Following the retirement of legendary players like Earl “Ball Hog” Jean, Eligah Joseph and Titus “Titi” Elva, the Piton Boyz plummeted to 192nd in the FIFA World Rankings, their lowest position ever. Though they managed to climb back to 123rd by 2014, they still fell short of their all-time high of 108th, achieved in 2003. As of now, the team sits at 165th in the rankings.
In 2024, the SLFA partnered with the Government of Saint Lucia to launch the inaugural season of the Semi-Professional Football League.
Cooper was elected president of the CFU by acclamation in March of this year when the CFU and Concacaf Congresses were hosted in Saint Lucia for the first time. Cooper thanked the Government for supporting those meetings.
“Without you, this Congress, which was so well-received by the regional and international football community, would not have been possible,” Cooper stated. “For us to host a Congress of that magnitude just goes to show that Saint Lucia can host any activity.”
