Italian Player Hit Herself In The Eye, Flopped, Then Went Off On The Refs For Not Calling A Foul

Italy had Team USA on the ropes. The Americans were stuck in a 55-52 grind at the FIBA Women’s World Cup. Cecilia Zandalasini already had a game-high 14. One clean look from three sends it to overtime. The last possession did not give her a clean look. It gave the internet a viral clip.

BrickCenter posted the tape with no mercy. Jackie Young is on her. The ball comes at the top of the key with 12.5 seconds left. Zandalasini turns for a step-back. She grabs her face. The whistle stays in the pocket. She kicks it to Francesca Pan, takes it back, and rushes a three that slaps the glass. Breanna Stewart rebounds. The clock dies.

The Italian player does not walk off. She turns on the official. Teammates have to pull her. One report said she kicked chairs and kept arguing while security walked her out.

Italian player hit HERSELF in the eye, flopped, then WENT OFF on the refs for not calling a foul

Hours later, she sat in a press conference and owned the scene.

“I would like to apologize for how I reacted in the end. To the opposing team, it was a lot of emotions today, but I should have kept them inside of me a little better. I apologize to the referees.”

The no-call was not the only wound. With three minutes left, she thought she had an and-one. Officials hung an offensive foul on her instead. That is the possession that started the boil. The last one dumped it over.

Team USA escaped a game it was supposed to bury. Jackie Young finished with 10 points. Stewart closed it. Italy walked off furious. The Italian player walked off famous for all the wrong reasons.

Cecilia Zandalasini. Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Cecilia Zandalasini, who plays for the Golden State Valkyries in the WNBA, said the jersey brings a different beast out of her. She also said she feels embarrassed. Both can be true. A late no-call in a World Cup game will always look like theft from one bench. From the other bench, it looks like a player hunting a whistle instead of a shot.

Italy almost beat the Americans. The Italian player almost tied it. She missed, yelled, and then apologized. The next game will not be affected by the press conference. It will care whether she shoots through contact instead of selling it.