Saturday’s quarterfinal match between England and Norway displays the world’s most prolific strikers in Harry Kane and Erling Haaland. So, who’s better? FOX Sports’ Javier Hernández and Peter Schmeichel split their votes while acknowledging the quality of both players. “Harry Kane,” Hernández said. “The difference is tiny. They’re both amazing strikers all around, but definitely in my team, I want an all-around player like Harry Kane. We saw that play against my home country. The way that he played, the way that England played, England is getting better each day. What Erling Haaland has done at his age is just unbelievable.” At 25 years old, Haaland has scored 62 goals in 54 career games for Norway. For Manchester City, Haaland recorded 27 goals and eight assists in 35 Premier League matches last season. Schmeichel, while he would like to choose both, his argument swayed towards the young goalscorer for Norway. “Both,” Schmeichel initially said, before admitting, “I’ll take Haaland. The reason for that, he is younger and can play for many, many more years. But I have to say, they are different players, and what they do for the team is so different.” Kane’s six goals and Haaland’s seven in this World Cup both lead their teams at this World Cup, putting them firmly in the race for the Golden Boot. Norway reached their first-ever World Cup quarterfinal game, while Kane claimed the title as England’s all-time World Cup goalscorer against Panama. It has been a historic tournament for both. Norway’s attack also includes captain Martin Ødegaard and winger Antonio Nusa, who have contributed to their success. Ødegaard has three assists, while Nusa scored one of the best goals of the tournament against the Ivory Coast. Kane has fellow star Jude Bellingham alongside him, with the Real Madrid man scoring twice against Mexico. Kane is also fighting all over the field, getting a big block late in England’s 2-1 win over DR Congo and also putting in a defensive shift against Mexico when the Three Lions were down to 10 men. “Every time they need them,” Schmeichel said, “they are the guys who bring whatever they need to the (field). I think Harry Kane is a more all-around player. Erling Haaland is someone who is just happy to walk around, wait for the ball, and when it comes, he executes. “Harry goes a little bit deep, takes part in play, assists for other players, and is a much more mature striker in that sense, a very different striker. After that game (against Mexico), I think we all agreed that he is the best striker in the world, Harry Kane.”Latest Sports News from FOX Sports
Thomas Rhett officially kicked off his The Soundtrack to Life Tourat GEODIS Park in Nashville on Thursday (July 9), delivering a night packed with career-spanning hits, nonstop energy, and plenty of singalongs.
Before Rhett took the stage, co-headliner Niall Horan delivered an impressive set that included fan-favorite hits like “This Town,” “Slow Hands,” and “Monochromatic.” Throughout his performance, Horan shared his love for Nashville and expressed his excitement over the opportunity to share the stage with Rhett. While their audiences may be different, the pairing felt surprisingly natural, with Horan’s set fitting seamlessly into the evening. His undeniable talent and stage presence made him a perfect addition to the night.
Thomas Rhett; Photo by Nick Bastoky
When Rhett finally stepped onto the stage, he kicked things off with a throwback from 2014, launching into “Make Me Wanna.” From the opening note to the encore, the country superstar brought an unmatched level of energy, running across every inch of the massive stage. Despite the sweltering Nashville summer heat, Rhett and his band powered through, giving fans a show they won’t soon forget.
Thomas Rhett; Photo Corey Miller
Keeping the momentum going, Rhett launched into feel-good favorites like “Look What God Gave Her” and “Gone Country,” with fans singing along and dancing throughout the stadium. The excitement continued as thousands of fans’ light-up bracelets synced together during “T-Shirt,” creating a memorable moment across GEODIS Park.
Before performing “Life Changes,” Rhett took a moment to reflect on his journey from growing up in nearby Hendersonville, Tennessee, to reaching one of the biggest stages in Music City. He reminisced about playing legendary Nashville venues including Exit/In, the Ryman Auditorium, the Grand Ole Opry, Bridgestone Arena, and Nissan Stadium before finally making his GEODIS Park debut.
Thomas Rhett; Photo by Nick Bastoky
“I grew up in a little town called Hendersonville, Tennessee, about 20 minutes from here. I’ve seen a lot of people that I went to high school with in the crowd every year. I played at Exit/In, the Ryman, the Opry, Bridgestone, Nissan. This is my first time ever playing GEODIS Park. Thank y’all so much for tonight. I never in a million years dreamed that I would get to play a show with one of my best friends in the world, Mr. Niall Horan. It is unbelievable.”
Rhett also opened up about his family during the emotional moment, sharing an update about welcoming his fifth child and celebrating a major milestone for his sister-in-law.
Niall Horan, Thomas Rhett; Photo by Nick Bastoky
“All my children are sitting right over here somewhere. This year we had our fifth kid and it is absolutely insane. I’ve got a little boy, but I really want to shout out a huge praise and a huge celebration. She’s not here tonight because she’s probably resting, but my sister-in-law got to ring the bell yesterday of her last day of chemotherapy. I love you, Macy, wherever you are.”
The show continued with a string of fan favorites, including “What’s Your Country Song,” “It Goes Like This,” and “Crash And Burn,” which was accompanied by a spectacular fireworks-filled finale.
But the night wasn’t over yet. Horan returned to the stage for a special four-song collaborative set, giving fans an unforgettable closing moment. Together, the pair performed Horan’s hit “Heaven,” their own collaboration “Old Tricks,” and a cover of Ella Langley’s “Choosin’ Texas” after Rhett jokingly declared themselves “Ella’s Fellas.”
To close out the night, Rhett and Horan sent the crowd into a frenzy with a cover of One Direction’s smash hit “Steal Your Girl.”
Rhett’s opening night proved exactly why he remains one of country music’s most captivating entertainers. With his unmatched energy, genuine connection with fans, and ability to turn a stadium into one giant singalong, The Soundtrack to Life Tour is off to an unforgettable start.
At first glance, beef and veal seem similar – but from their flavor and texture to how they should be cooked, each meat brings something unique to the table.
While Erling Haaland’s on-field performance has established Norway at this World Cup, his off-field personality and digital presence have further catapulted his status. On the field, Haaland has scored seven goals in four matches, positioning himself at the center of the race for the tournament Golden Boot. He remains locked in a tight competition with Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé, and Harry Kane as Norway prepares to face England in the quarterfinals. His scoring output includes a winner in the 86th minute against the Ivory Coast in the round of 32 and a two-goal performance to defeat Brazil 2-1 in the round of 16. Haaland’s interactions with the public have frequently gone viral online throughout the tournament. Ahead of the round of 16 match against Brazil, a video captured Haaland tapping a young mascot on the shoulder to shake his hand, leading the child to smile and exclaim, “Haaland!” in response. The forward has actively engaged with American sports and culture during his travels. After attending the deciding game of the Stanley Cup Finals between the Carolina Hurricanes and the Vegas Golden Knights, Haaland noted that hearing the American national anthem gave him goosebumps. When asked about the growing American fan base, he expressed mutual appreciation, stating, “It’s a good thing,” he added. “I like Americans. They’re hilarious. I like the way they are.” Following Norway’s victory in Dallas, he visited Wild Bill’s Western Store to buy multiple cowboy hats customized with his initials and jersey number, alongside a pair of snake-skin boots. “Look at this loser, drinking water,” some of Haaland’s teammates said, teasing him in the shop. “They complain when I order [water], but when I score goals they zip it up,” Haaland responded while he donned his cowboy hat and wore a shirt that read, “Y’all can kiss my Dallas.” Norway’s fans and players have embraced their heritage, making the synchronized Viking row chant a recognizable sight in places like Times Square. The team even participated in a promotional photo shoot by a fjord dressed as Norse warriors before departing for the tournament. After the victory over Brazil, Norway captain Martin Ødegaard handed Haaland the drumstick so the striker could lead the fans in the celebration from the pitch. This connection with the American audience has extended to network television. Haaland appeared on FOX’s “After Hours” with James Corden, who challenged the striker to non-football-related activities such as chess and painting. The show also featured Haaland competing against a youth table tennis champion and playing shuffleboard against his partner, Isabel Haugseng Johansen. During his appearance on “After Hours,” the conversation turned to his signature long hair. When asked about his hairstyle and whether he would consider cutting it, Haaland revealed advice he received from a legendary forward. “Zlatan, you know what he told me? ‘Never cut your hair because the strength is in the hair,'” Haaland said. “What can I do? I have to listen to him, no?” Haaland’s commercial reach has expanded alongside his World Cup performance. He was featured in Nike’s tournament commercial alongside LeBron James and Kim Kardashian, with Hollywood actor Channing Tatum serving as his comedic body double. This visibility has translated into major social media growth. His Instagram account has over 60 million followers, up from 40 million before the tournament; his public Snapchat account has over five million subscribers and his YouTube channel, where he has been documenting his experiences at the World Cup, has nearly three million subscribers. The viral footprint of the Norwegian team extended directly into the digital space earlier this week when Haaland shared a brief message on his X account. “One thing to do today… search my name on Google” to alert fans to an interactive feature developed by the search engine. When users searched for Erling Haaland on the platform, a custom animation triggers at the bottom of the screen. The feature displays animated characters wearing Norwegian flags performing the synchronized Viking row celebration that has followed the team’s victories throughout the tournament. The digital tribute arrived as online interest in the forward reached record levels during the tournament. Haaland has scored seven goals in five matches, matching the long-standing record set by Poland’s Grzegorz Lato in 1974 for the most goals scored by a player in a debut World Cup campaign. The combination of his scoring output and off-field content has made the team’s traditional celebrations globally recognizable, yet despite the massive personal brand growth, Haaland has seemingly not let the extra attention get to his head. Norway enters the quarterfinals with the opportunity to reach the semifinals for the first time in its history, but despite his surging popularity across the United States, Haaland maintains a remarkably modest outlook on Norway’s tournament prospects. “To play in the World Cup, play on the biggest stage, against the best teams in the world, it’s very special,” Haaland told reporters ahead of the quarterfinal match against England. Before the round-of-16 matchup against Brazil, he was asked about his team’s chances of defeating the five-time world champions. “Uh … very slim,” Haaland said. After he scored twice to secure the 2-1 upset, reporters asked if his outlook on winning the tournament had shifted ahead of the quarterfinal against England. “Really low, still,” Haaland told reporters. This low-profile stance appears to be a calculated effort to alleviate expectations of him and his teammates and redirect the spotlight toward tournament heavyweights. “I think there’s some clear favorites out there, England’s one of them. I think all of you should put every single pressure on the English lads,” Haaland said. That relaxed mindset has been consistent throughout the campaign. Even before resting on the bench during a 4-1 group-stage loss to France, Haaland remained unfazed. “I couldn’t care too much about that game now. They are probably going to win against us; they’re probably going to win the whole tournament,” Haaland said before Norway faced France. With a spot in the semifinals on the line on Saturday in Miami, the striker is fully aware of the magnitude of the moment for his home country, even if he refuses to buy into the championship predictions. “Playing against Brazil was kind of crazy for us Norwegians. And to win against Brazil, and then go and play England in the quarterfinals in the World Cup in the USA is quite special,” Haaland said. “And think if you watch the scenes back in Norway, this is not normal for Norway … it’s super special.”Latest Sports News from FOX Sports
President Donald Trump’s call to FIFA President Gianni Infantino urging him to review U.S. striker Folarin Balogun’s red card has thrust the politics of global sport back in the spotlight — and it’s raising questions about how the Olympic movement plans to navigate a White House that has an interventionist approach toward the world’s biggest sporting events.
Trump’s involvement — along with that of other senior administration officials — with the global governing body for soccer highlighted just how deeply FIFA has cultivated its relationship with the White House.
But with Los Angeles set to host the 2028 Summer Olympics, Olympic officials have charted a markedly different course. So far, newly elected IOC President Kirsty Coventry has yet to appear publicly alongside Trump.
While FIFA has been the primary organizer of the 2026 World Cup, the International Olympic Committee will rely on LA28 — the independent local organizing committee — to execute the games.
That structure has allowed the IOC to keep more distance from Washington. Asked in January whether she could learn from Infantino’s approach to courting Trump, Coventry suggested the Olympic movement would take a more measured path.
“If we weren’t seeing good relations six months before the World Cup I would get worried,” she said. “As we get closer to the Olympics you will see the relations continue … and only get stronger.”
For now, the personal relationship with Trump has largely been managed through Casey Wasserman, the chair of LA28, who has emerged as the Olympic movement’s chief interlocutor with the White House.
Wasserman appeared alongside Trump in the Oval Office last year when the president signed an executive order establishing a White House task force focused on the 2028 Games. But it’s a sharp contrast with Infantino’s regular presence at the president’s side, his proclivity for praising the president in public and catering to his ego. After supporting the effort to have the Nobel Peace Prize awarded to Trump, Infantino created FIFA’s first-ever Peace Prize and awarded it to the president.
“My understanding of the Casey way is keep your head down, do the work, have your leaders lead the day-to-day, and worry about the most important things to make sure the event is successful, right?” said one person who has worked closely with Wasserman. “It’s not grandstanding and placating the way Gianni has done. It’s just a different approach. Look, maybe it’s just too soon, but he’s not a peace prize-giving kind of guy.”
Behind the scenes, however, cooperation between LA28 and the administration has already begun.
According to people familiar with the discussions, organizers have been working closely with the White House Olympic Task Force on a range of logistical issues, including plans for a pro-am golf tournament at Trump’s Los Angeles-area golf course before the Games.
At the State Department’s request, LA28 has also helped develop a dedicated visa processing portal for Olympic athletes and officials. The system has already been used to facilitate the entry of a small number of LA28 support staff into the United States, according to people familiar with the effort.
As the World Cup has unfolded this month, Trump’s interest in the Olympics has hardly diminished — they are the two events taking place during his second term that he takes credit for bringing to the U.S., based on decisions that were made during his first term.
“The beautiful thing about what I did is I ran [for president again]. I never thought of it, and then all of a sudden I realized, you know, I just got the Olympics, and I totally got that myself, and I just got FIFA,” Trump said on Monday. “I got that myself.”
On Friday in Los Angeles, Spain extended its fantastic record against Belgium, leaving it late once again. Goals from Fabián Ruiz and a stoppage-time winner from super-sub Mikel Merino secured a 2-1 victory and a place in the 2026 World Cup semifinals. Spain has now gone 12 matches unbeaten against Belgium, including six straight wins with an aggregate score of 14–1. It is also unbeaten in 35 matches in all competitions, matching its longest ever streak. For Belgium, the odds were always against Rudi Garcia’s side due to some notable injuries, including goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois having to leave the match with an apparent leg injury. The Red Devils did deliver a physical and inspiring encounter, pushing their opponent and even scoring, which was the first time Spain had conceded at the World Cup. In fact, it was the first World Cup goal it had conceded in 649 minutes. Ultimately, it’s Spain in the semifinals, its first such appearance at the World Cup since 2010 — when La Roja won it all. Here are my takeaways from Spain’s World Cup quarterfinal win over Belgium. 1. Mikel Merino To The Rescue … AGAIN! It took the Arsenal midfielder six minutes to score the winner in stoppage time against Portugal in the round of 16, but he apparently thought that took too long. So, on Friday, he did it again in just less than two minutes. It was just another example of Merino’s incredible ability to secure winners — for club and country — when they needed him the most. It’s also important to remember that the 30-year-old is not a striker, but Luis de la Fuente, just like Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, knows too well the poaching and scoring threat he can introduce to any match. 2. Belgium Went Through Hell When it rains, it pours. For Belgium, the issues started before kickoff as midfielder Amadou Onana’s ACL injury was already going to be a problem for Garcia’s midfield needs. But then, his Aston Villa teammate Youri Tielemans also suffered a knock in the warmup, so now the Red Devils had massive roles to cover in the center of the pitch. And against Spain, who possess a starting midfield potency of Manchester City’s Rodri, PSG’s Fabián Ruiz and Barcelona’s Dani Olmo, not having Tielemans was a huge blow. Consequently, as Belgium kept fighting, its goalkeeper, arguably the best in the game, Real Madrid star Courtois, had to come off in the 71st minute. Things were just not going to get easier for the Red Devils. It was forced to play a very direct, counter-attacking match, and it was actually a great strategy against Spain. It even kept it at 1-1 until Merino popped up in the right place at the right time. Still, the likes of Belgium defenders Nathan Ngoy and Brandon Mechele had their best performances. 3. Jérémy Doku vs. Lamine Yamal Was Excellent We are usually familiar with Doku’s work on the ball and ability to terrorize defenders, but Friday’s performance was about more than just that. The Premier League star had to play an extra role in helping his teammates, especially left back Maxim De Cuyper, in completing the daunting task of slowing down Yamal on Spain’s right wing. Doku worked extremely hard to ensure protection against the Barcelona phenom and, for the most part, it worked as Yamal was unable to score. The 18-year-old was still a threat, but Doku made sure his adversary did not produce a familiar highlight of magic. It was a selfless performance. 4. Spain Now Prepares For Its Biggest Test: France Aside from earning the victory, Merino’s winner was also a welcome moment for Spain because it kept the team from playing extra time. That’s even more important since France will have an extra day of rest going into next Tuesday’s matchup. De La Fuente’s team will surely take every moment of recovery that it can get. This will hopefully be an encounter of massive proportions. If it’s anything like last year’s Nations League semifinal, it will be full of fireworks, as that particular match ended 5-4 in favor of Spain. This will be their first World Cup encounter since 2006, when France came out with a 3-1 win and ended up losing to Italy in the final after the infamous Zidane headbutt over Marco Materazzi.Latest Sports News from FOX Sports
The head of FIFA’s anti-discrimination partner — which has dispatched human monitors to every World Cup match so far — said Thursday that the group has submitted “a number of reports regarding matches involving Mexico.”
Piara Powar, executive director of the Fare network, declined in an interview with POLITICO to say what incidents the reports allege.
But the existence of the reports could spell trouble for the Mexican Football Federation, which has faced a number of sanctions over the past decade from FIFA related to discriminatory practices at its games.
FIFA declined to comment on any specific report Friday, and an inquiry to the Mexican Football Federation’s press inbox went unanswered.
In a statement, the world soccer governing body said “potential incidents are handled by FIFA’s judicial bodies in line with the relevant regulations and match reports, and taking into account the specific circumstances at stake.”
A potential subject included in the reports: Mexican fans repeating an anti-gay chant that has loomed over the national team since it emerged during the 2014 World Cup.
Sometimes referred to as “El Grito,” the chant involves the crowd winding with a prolonged “ehhhhh” as the opposing goalkeeper sets up for a goal kick, followed by a thunderous “puto” as the ball launches upward.
The latter word, which roughly translates to “male prostitute” in Spanish, is listed as a homophobic slur within the global guide to discriminatory practices in soccer authored by the Fare network, an umbrella organization set up to counter discrimination in world soccer.
The chant was audible during broadcasts of Mexico’s last-16 match against England and appeared during the federation’s final group stage tilt against Czechia. The Mexican national team played all of its World Cup matches on home soil, in Mexico City and Guadalajara.
Whether these reports will result in a material penalty is unknown. Powar said that, in most cases, sanctions are announced following the end of the World Cup and are preceded by an investigation and hearings related to the report. Previous punishments have ranged from six-figure fines to forcing the national team to play in front of an empty stadium.
The Mexican federation has unsuccessfully tried to stymie the chant’s popularity. During the 2018 World Cup, Mexican forward Javier Hernandez pleaded with Mexican fans to not invoke it after FIFA announced it was investigating its use during an earlier match.
And ahead of the 2026 tournament, the federation launched a campaignexplicitly encouraging fans to support the team by ditching the chant in favor of a stadium-wide wave — a now unanimous-practice that traces its origins to the 1986 World Cup in Mexico.
Powar said change is still possible.
“It’s not the case that, you know, this culture is fixed or that you can’t change it into a more positive direction, particularly when you’re getting fined the sort of sums the Mexican Federation have over the years,” Powar said.
With the ceasefire between the US and Iran seemingly at an end, new reports have added another layer of tension to the ongoing turmoil in the Middle East.
According to CNN, Donald Trump is the target of a new alleged assassination plot.
The outlet reports that Israeli intelligence recently shared information with U.S. officials indicating that Iran may have developed a fresh plan to assassinate the president amid escalating tensions between the two countries.
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks at the White House on July 06, 2026 in Washington, DC. Trump is hosting a luncheon in the Rose Garden Club. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Details of the alleged plot have not been made public, and U.S. officials have not confirmed whether the intelligence points to an imminent threat.
However, sources told CNN that the warning was taken seriously, given the ongoing conflict between the United States, Israel, and Iran.
The reported threat is the latest in a years-long campaign by Iran to seek retaliation against Trump following the 2020 U.S. drone strike that killed Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani.
American officials have previously disclosed multiple alleged Iran-linked plots targeting Trump and other former members of his administration, with federal prosecutors bringing criminal charges in several cases over the past two years.
According to CNN, U.S. intelligence has received repeated warnings about potential threats in recent weeks, though officials reportedly described the latest information from Israel as more specific than previous reports.
When asked about the report, Trump acknowledged that he remains a target for Iran but did not appear alarmed by the latest intelligence.
“I guess I’m number one on their hit list,” he reportedly said while speaking to reporters during the NATO summit.
The president also revealed that he has already given instructions on how the United States should respond if he were ever assassinated.
As usual Trump’s remarks were anything but subtle.
“If I get taken out by Iran, they should bomb them like they’ve never been bombed before,” he said.
Neither the White House nor Iranian officials immediately commented on the reported intelligence.
The latest development comes as military tensions between Washington and Tehran continue to intensify, with both nations exchanging threats following recent strikes and retaliatory attacks in the region.
We will have further updates on this developing story as new information becomes available.
Bryan Martin continues the rollout of his next musical chapter with the release of “Take It From Me.” Out today (Friday, July 10) via Average Joes Entertainment, the reflective track serves as the follow-up to the Louisiana native’s previous releases, “Rather Be The Fire” and “Tug O’ War,” the latter of which is currently climbing at country radio.
Written by Martin alongside Ben Roberts and Steven Champion, “Take It From Me” finds the 38-year-old singer-songwriter pulling from a lifetime of hard-earned experience. A former bull rider, Army veteran, and oil rig worker, Martin confronts some of his deepest regrets while offering listeners the kind of advice that only comes from surviving life’s darkest moments.
“Take it from me, you’ll take it too hard, take it too deep, take it too far / You’ll take that gun, you’ll take a knee / You’ll take that Bible and beg and plead / God please, I can’t take it anymore / Lord, just take it from me,” Martin sings throughout the chorus of the track.
Bryan Martin; Photo Provided
For Martin, the song’s message is deeply personal, and he explained in an interview with Country Now that the lyrics were drawn from a time when the pressure to succeed professionally began overshadowing nearly everything else.
Looking back, he shares that he accepts responsibility for the end of a long-term relationship, acknowledging that years ago, his drive to succeed pushed loved ones aside. Rather than placing blame elsewhere, he says writing “Take It From Me” forced him to confront uncomfortable truths about himself.
“I was in a relationship for 14, almost 15 years, and it was just constant arguing and disagreements,” Martin told Country Now. “If there was a problem, I figured I could fix it. And there were just so many things that I skimmed over that internally, for me, and for everyone around me, I was in this constant chase for this music thing to work because my mom wanted me to make it. She wanted me to play the Grand Ole Opry. She gave up her career for me to do it when I was born. That’s what I was always told when I was a kid.”
“I’d been told so many times I couldn’t do it, or I wasn’t good enough for it. And so I think I just had a prove-them-wrong mentality. And I got so caught up in that that I lost track of everyone around me and what was really important. A lot of that’s on me,” he added. “But I feel like I put so much pressure on myself that when things would go wrong in any way, it was like… one minute I’m good, and next minute I’m low. ‘Take It From Me’ is telling you, ‘Hey man, it’s probably not all that bad. You’re just taking it too hard. You’re taking it too deep…’And it’s just self-explanatory…People who hear the song, I really want them to take away from it’…Don’t get so deep in the rabbit hole of how everything is going wrong. Try to find the beauty in it.”
That emotional honesty has become a defining characteristic of Martin’s latest music as someone who has remained transparent through his struggle with depression, alcohol and drug addiction. Martin is enjoying a new season of life, where he says, “I’m just happy. I don’t think I’ve ever been able to actually sit back and say that word and mean it.”
The father of four recently welcomed a baby boy, Pascal, with his fiancé, and he says those life changes have transformed not only his songwriting but also the way he approaches being onstage. For years, alcohol masked his insecurities as a performer, but today, his shows look a little different.
“Oh yeah, it’s crazy. It’s hard,” Martin acknowledges of how he has had to re-learn who he is onstage without leaning on the bottle. “I remember I used to think I was such a great performer because I was drunk. But it’s like nowadays I’m so aware of how awkward I am on stage. That’s why I used to drink, because I felt so awkward on stage…You take a guitar away from me for a split second on stage, I don’t know what to do with my hands.”
“I’m not Morgan Wallen. I’m not one of these guys who can go out there and put on a hat and put on a show. I’m me, and I’m always going to be,” he continued. “I think now more than ever, I’ve literally just had to tell myself like, ‘Hey man, this is who you are sober. And this is as good as it gets’…But I’m happy and excited and grateful for being able to actually connect with the crowd as much as I can sober… For the first time in my life, I don’t put any more pressure on myself than that.”
After years of measuring success by how much he could give to everyone around him, Martin says he’s learned that protecting his sobriety means protecting his peace.
“I realized that when I get off the stage, I did my job,” he says. “I came, and I sang the songs… and then I beeline to the van. I get in the van, and I text my lady, and I text my kids, and I tell them, ‘Hey, I just finished the show. I’m headed home.’ For so long… people want you to drink with them… but for me, to protect my peace these days, it doesn’t look like it did a year and a half, two years ago… I’ve learned, ‘Hey, I love my fans more than anything in this world, but I love my family more.’ And that’s a first… I’m going home sober. I’m going home to my bed… I’ve just been really happy and really grateful to turn over a new leaf in my life. And I hope that I can show other people you can’t always satisfy everybody, but you have to start doing the internal work on loving yourself and finding that peace.”
That mindset also reflects the music Martin is creating now.
After years of writing thousands of songs, including his breakthrough hit “We Ride,” which reached No. 3 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart, Martin says he only wrote about 10 songs this year, an intentional slowdown, indeed, but those songs will eventually make up his next album.
“‘Tug O’ War’ and these other songs, they really dive into personal battles that everybody deals with,” he shares. “I really believe that ‘Tug O’ War’ and ‘Rather Be the Fire,’ all these songs are telling my story and where I’m at now… I’m honestly at the point where I’m like, I’m ready to get this album out… and just release from the inside.”
And, success, he says, no longer means chasing charts or awards.
“I’m honestly in a place where it’s like if this record sells a million records and we get another 10 gold records on the wall, great. If not, great, because to me it’s not about that anymore. It’s not about the number of sales. It’s about the number of souls that hear the music, and they can relate to it,” he says. “And if it saves one life… that’s all that matters to me. That’s what it started as, and that’s what it’s going to end as…”
As “Take It From Me” makes its way into the world, Martin hopes listeners hear more than just another country song. He hopes they hear proof that healing is possible.
“I really hope they take away from it that this is a journey and they’ve seen me up, they’ve seen me down, and they’ll see me up again,” he says. “Underneath all the success of ‘We Ride’ and all the bright lights and all these things, there’s a guy inside that was broken and didn’t know which direction to go. I was running to a bottle, I was running to a pill, I was running to everything except for what I needed to [run to.] Now, instead of running away from everything else, I’m running home. For the first time, I feel a sense of belonging. I’m getting my feet underneath me. I just hope somebody out there who thinks that there’s no possibility for them to have this peace of mind that I have now can hear the song and understand that if I can do it, I guarantee you anybody can do it because I’m crazy.”
Caleigh Hardy, wife of hitmaker HARDY, is giving fans an honest look back at how their relationship first began while also opening up about life as a wife and mom during a recent appearance on iHeart Radio’s Married to the Musicpodcast hosted by Hanley Riggs.
Their modern love story started out with the hitmaking singer/songwriter sliding into her DMs with a video that impressed her right off the bat and he didn’t even have to say anything. Instead, HARDY simply filmed himself drinking whiskey in a deer stand while hunting.
“And that was just, like, if you know me, that’s all I needed. I was like, ‘Who is this guy?’ And I thought it was so funny. I was like, ‘That is so creative and different,’” she told Riggs.
Photo Courtesy of Caleigh
The conversation continues from there and finally they get to meet for the first time when Caleigh, who was a student at Ole Miss at the time, attended one of HARDY’s early gigs in Nashville. She says sparks instantly flew.
“The second that we met, it was just, like, we had such a great connection. He was funny, and we were able to joke about it or whatever. And so it was so great. Like, we had so much fun.”
She proceeded to invite him to her sorority formal and while riding on the bus, he asked her to be his girlfriend. Things quickly became more serious between the two of them, as she explained they both knew their connection was something special. While their relationship continued to develop, HARDY’s career also began to take off as a songwriter, which eventually led him to transition into becoming an artist as well.
“So when he started seriously considering signing a record deal, he had told me about it. And, you know, we had just started dating so I was like, ‘Who am I to tell you no? Like, I’m not gonna tell you no. This is amazing. This is an amazing opportunity’…I knew he was gonna pursue the artist thing, but you just never know what’s gonna happen or I really didn’t think too far into the future about it. I just was like living in the moment.”
Caleigh admits it became “really hard” to navigate this next chapter as it was a whole new world for both of them. On top of HARDY gaining fame, losing his privacy to the public and also working grueling hours, the two of them hardly got to see each other, which in turn naturally put a strain on their relationship.
“It was just a big change, mostly for him because going from a life where no one knows who you are and you have your anonymity and he’s, like, a homebody. He’s an introvert. He does it ’cause he loves the music, and, like, he loves what he does so much and he loves writing and the artistry of it, but it was really hard for him to start having people recognize who he was in town, and feeling like eyes are on him and the schedule is grueling.”
Finding a way to communicate properly in order to maintain a strong relationship became a “big, big, big, big learning curve for us,” said Caleigh.
“Him and I are very different people in how we…recharge our batteries. Like, I want to be around people all the time and I wanna bring in the friends and bring in the family, and I wanna say yes to everyone. I genuinely have no problem with that. He is a very, has to recharge by himself, and have his alone time. And he’s working too, so it’s, like, I also have to remember I’m not working so I have all this extra fun time to have…So we had to find that balance of our own rules of what works for us.”
Photo Courtesy of Caleigh
The couple has made it through a lot of highs and lows over the years, but their love has been strong enough to get them through anything. They tied the knot on October 29, 2022 in Nashville, Tennessee and enjoyed a few years of married life before welcoming their first child, a daughter named Rosie Ryan Hardy, on March 7, 2025.
Caleigh couldn’t hide her excitement while talking about life with her daughter, Rosie, who is just over a year old. She often gives fans a glimpse into their everyday moments on social media, saying she hopes those posts help show that having a child isn’t so scary and can be one of life’s greatest joys.
“I love her so much, and she is such a ray of sunshine. She brings so much joy and happiness to everyone…And I love showing people that it’s not scary to have a kid. That is literally my new passion in life is like trying to tell everyone to have a baby.”
She goes on to say that she has always wanted to be a mom and truly believes that anyone is capable of taking on that role, even if it may seem like a daunting task to take on.
“To me, that is the most like feminist thing you can do, is just like be a mom and like be a good mom and raise a great woman in this world. Like you get to literally put people on this planet and mold them for how you, what the world needs,” she reflected. “You are in charge of raising good people. And so I think that there’s so much power in that, and it’s so fun and amazing and, like, I just wish everyone would do that.
The parents are also enjoying getting to share road life with Rosie, pointing out that she fits right in with the environment.
“She has so much fun. She can run around now in the venues during the day. The crew adores her, like, the band and crew. Like, we’re all family out there, so they love her. She loves them. It’s a dream.”
