INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Belgium midfielder Youri Tielemans was scratched Friday from the starting lineup in the World Cup quarterfinals against Spain after getting injured during pregame warmups.
Hans Vanaken replaced Tielemans in the starting lineup in another blow to the Red Devils' depth.
Tielemans is Belgium's captain and a key component of the team's efforts on offense and defense. The Aston Villa midfielder scored two goals in Belgium's 3-2 comeback victory over Senegal in the round of 32.
Vanaken came on as a substitute and scored a goal in Belgium's 4-1 thrashing of the U.S. on Monday. He replaced Amadou Onana, who has been ruled out for the rest of the World Cup with a torn knee ligament.
Belgium has also played the World Cup without defender Zeno Debast, who has a leg injury and has been held out of action by his club, Sporting Lisbon.
Kevin De Bruyne returned to Belgium's lineup against Spain after sitting out of the win over the Americans to rest.
See more of AP’s World Cup coverage here
Spanish and Belgian flags are seen during the teams presentation before the World Cup quarterfinal soccer match between Spain and Belgium in Inglewood, Calif., near Los Angeles, Friday, July 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Marcio Sanchez)
A fan cheers during warmups before the World Cup quarterfinal soccer match between Spain and Belgium in Inglewood, Calif., near Los Angeles, Friday, July 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Belgium's Youri Tielemans (8) reacts after Belgium won a World Cup round of 16 soccer match against the United States in Seattle, Monday, July 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
LONDON (AP) — King Charles III hosted Prince Harry and met with his family for the first time in years Friday as they try to repair a rift that has persisted since his youngest son and wife quit royal life and moved to America six years ago.
Harry, Meghan and their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, met with the king and Queen Camilla at Highgrove House, a country estate west of London.
The Duke of Sussex had arrived Monday in his homeland for a number of charity events that were overshadowed by speculation of whether he would meet with his father.
British tabloids and news broadcasts were filled with speculation about whether Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, would accompany him and, more importantly, whether they would bring their two children so they can finally get to know Grandpa Charles.
However, the monarch’s schedule is often years in the making, with events penciled in long before they take place. An opportunity to hold such a meeting would have been fleeting, particularly because the children would need to return to school in the fall and because they live in California.
The wish to seize the moment fueled tensions between Harry and royal officials earlier this week. That was highlighted by embarrassing scenes when royal officials first invited Harry to stay at Buckingham Palace, then rescinded the offer after the prince didn’t accept it in a timely manner.
Harry’s visit also coincided with him losing his final lawsuit in his quest to tame the British tabloids. A judge ruled that he failed to prove his privacy invasion claims against the publisher of the Daily Mail.
His legal battles have been a source of friction with his family, however. Harry has said he wants to reconcile with his 77-year-old father, who is being treated for an undisclosed form of cancer.
But he also wanted his children to meet with the monarch, whom they first met during celebrations for the late Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022.
The royal children, Archie, 7, and Lilibet, 5, are now old enough to remember meeting their grandfather, will certainly hope for pictures with the king, though the event was deemed private and no images will be publicly released.
Tensions within the House of Windsor have heightened ever since Harry and Meghan gave up their royal duties and moved to California to pursue lucrative media deals, free from the pressures of royal life in London.
They reached a new low after Harry published an explosive memoir that included unflattering depictions of the royal family and damning allegations of a toxic relationship between the monarchy and the press.
Harry’s description of royals leaking information about other family members in exchange for positive coverage of themselves is just one of the tawdry allegations in his book, “Spare.” The prince was especially scathing about Camilla, accusing her of feeding private conversations to the media as she sought to rehabilitate her image after her longtime affair with Charles when he was heir to the throne.
After losing a court battle over his security issue last year, Harry said he hoped to rebuild relations with his family, even as he suggested that the royals had sought to prevent him from receiving police protection to punish him for walking away from royal duties.
“I would love reconciliation with my family. There’s no point in continuing to fight anymore,” Harry told the BBC. “I don’t know how much longer my father has.”
FILE - Britain's King Charles III, Princess Anne, Prince William and Prince Harry follow Queen Elizabeth II's coffin at St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle, Windsor, England, on Sept. 19, 2022. (Henry Nicholls/Pool via AP, File)
