Gisele Bundchen’s Boyfriend & Tom Brady Are ‘Not Friends’—Meet Her Baby’s Father
Sometimes the best thing that can happen to you is a breakup. That is clearly the case for Gisele Bündchen, who seems to be doing much better ever since her split from former QB Tom Brady. Bündchen, who shares two kids with Brady, son Benjamin 14, and daughter Vivian, 11, is now expecting her first child with her new boyfriend, Joaquim Valente.
Before Valente, Bündchen, who rose to fame as Victoria’s Secret supermodel, was famously married to Tom Brady for thirteen years. The two filed for divorce on October 28, 2022. Numerous reports indicated the reason for their split was Brady’s decision to announce his retirement from the NFL and then decided to return to football soon.
Related: Why did Tom Brady and Gisele Bundchen divorce?
“She doesn’t hate that he’s playing football, but she sure hates the way he handled the retirement and coming back,” PEOPLE reported in September 2022. “He knows that, and he’s doing what he can do to smooth things over. He does know that this is his last season if he wants to stay married.”
But a month later, the two were done. However, they remained on friendly terms for the sake of the kids. Bündchen and Brady have joint custody of both Benjamin and Vivian. Brady finally retired in February 2023 after 23 seasons in the NFL.
A month after her divorce, Bündchen was first spotted with Valente, but reports indicate the two didn’t start dating for a while after. So, who is Joaquim Valente, Gisele Bundchen’s baby’s father and how did their relationship come to be?
Who’s Gisele Bundchen’s Baby’s Father Joaquim Valente?
Joaquim Valente is a 35-year-old professional jiu-jitsu trainer. He studied criminology at Barry University. Valente and Bündchen were reportedly friends for a while before they started dating in June 2023. According to the Daily Mail, Valente was the jiu-jitsu teacher for Bündchen’s kids for years before the relationship progressed. After Bündchen signed up her son for classes at the jiu-jitsu academy in Miami Valente co-owns with his brothers, and she decided to enroll in classes herself.
The rest, as they say, is history. The pair’s relationship was confirmed in February 2024.
“They have been dating since June (2023). They’re taking it slow. They started out as great friends first. She’s very private about this and wanted to keep it quiet while they got to know each other,” PEOPLE reported at the time, adding that “He was a huge comfort for Gisele while she went through her divorce. Their friendship turned romantic after the divorce.”
Bündchen has denied reports that she cheated on Brady with Valente. In a March 2024 interview with the New York Times, she said, “This is something that happens to a lot of women who get blamed when they have the courage to leave an unhealthy relationship and are labeled as being unfaithful. They have to deal with their communities. They have to deal with their family. Of course, for me, it just happens to be a little bit amplified.”
Related: Who is Tom Brady dating after Gisele Bundchen divorce?
Brady reportedly isn’t friendly with Valente, but according to the Daily Mail, there’s no great animosity between them either. “Tom and Joaquim are not friends — but Joaquim is around his kids, so Tom has to find the good in him and does believe he is a good guy. If Joaquim ever becomes a father figure to his kids, Tom will be able to adapt.”
Valente and Bündchen, who is also Brazilian, have a lot in common. “They come from similar backgrounds. They both left Brazil very young. They have both created amazing lives for themselves in the U.S. They both love Miami, but also enjoy traveling. They both enjoy healthy living. Gisele’s in a great space. She is happy and very much enjoying life. Joaquim is perfect for her,” PEOPLE also reported, with sources adding that Bündchen has “blossomed” since she started dating Valente.
And now the two are getting ready to welcome a new member to the family. “Gisele and Joaquim are happy for this new chapter in their life and they’re looking forward to creating a peaceful and loving environment for the whole family,” PEOPLE reported in a statement.
