Italy’s Cecilia Zandalasini slammed by Team USA fans after blatant ‘flop’ in FIBA World Cup game

Golden State Valkyries forward Cecilia Zandalasini has attracted a lot of negative attention on social media after her flop during Italy vs. USA at the 2026 FIBA World Cup.

Team USA picked up a narrow 55-52 win over Italy to keep their 20-year winning streak at the women’s World Cup alive.

What should be remembered as a gutsy national team performance against the USA has instead been marred by one play involving Zandalasini.

Zandalasini was on the perimeter while being guarded by Jackie Young when she recoiled backwards mid-shot and grabbed her eye, and later argued with the referees for a foul.

With the clip not having context on the seconds before this play, fans went in on Zandalasini, blaming the Valkyries’ style of basketball for her flopping.

“This was actually the worst flop attempt ever,” said one fan.

“Bluetooth — foul and she was crashing out afterwards,” said another fan in shock over the situation.

“Straight from Natalie Nakase’s school of flopping. Exhibit 1000,” said a fan blaming Valkyries’ head coach Natalie Nakase.

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“The way she would get this call with the valks,” said one fan, implying WNBA referees would have given her the foul here.

“WNBA refs woulda put all the wind on earth in that whistle,” said another fan along the same lines.

Some fans defending her said that she was poked in the eye by another player’s hair before the video started, but how her reaction changed from dribble to shot, and subsequent foul protests, implied that she definitely believed a call was due there.

Zandalasini led all scorers with 14 points (5-14 FG) in the game. As the national team’s featured star, she was the No. 1 focus of the USA’s defense as well.

The 30-year-old forward is averaging 8.8 points and 2.2 rebounds this season as the Valkyries sit No. 2 in the WNBA standings with a 29-11 record.

Her ability to stretch the floor, handle the ball, and be a lead defender was put to the test against the USA. While she was inefficient offensively, she did all she could to ensure the team was in a position to pull this historic upset off.

While fans might blame Zandalasini for her actions in the game, they’ll soon be watching her in the WNBA Playoffs on a team with a shot at the title.

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