Gisele Bündchen Started Dating Boyfriend Long Before Tom Brady Divorce, Insider Says
Sophia Sparks
Updated on February 23, 2026
Two weeks after her divorce from Tom Brady was finalized in Nov. 2022, Gisele Bündchen was reported to be getting cozy with her jiu-jitsu instructor, Joaquim Valente. Bündchen quickly shot down the alleged romance, describing Valente in her March 2023 Vanity Fair cover story as someone she admires and trusts—and nothing more. But that didn't exactly quash the rumors.
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Since then, Bündchen and Valente have been spotted on multiple trips together, including to their native country of Brazil. Most recently, they were seen sharing a Valentine's Day kiss while out in Miami, seemingly confirming their feelings for one another. Of their public PDA, a source told Page Six that the pair are "deeply in love."
Meanwhile, a Daily Mail insider revealed that Brady is trying to "find the good" in Valente, as it appears Bündchen and Valente's romance isn't slowing down any time soon. At the same time, however, Brady is also struggling to make sense of the couple's timeline.
Earlier this month, a source told People that Bündchen officially began dating Valente in June 2023. "They have been dating since June. They're taking it slow. They started out as great friends first," the source revealed. "She's very private about this and wanted to keep it quiet while they got to know each other."
But for his part, Brady is under the impression that the pair have been spending time with each other for much longer than they've let on, per another insider.
"If she wants to have people think she has been dating Joaquim only since June, so be it, but they have been together longer and they aren't taking it slow," the source told the Daily Mail.
Corroborating these claims, a different source came forward to TMZ and alluded to Bündchen and Valente's romance starting as early as June 2021. (Brady and Bündchen's divorce was confirmed in Oct. 2022, though rumors of strife within the marriage was reported by People in September of that year.)
Either way, Daily Mail's source says Brady "has accepted" Bündchen and Valente's relationship, regardless of the timeline.
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According to the Daily Mail, though Brady and Valente aren't exactly friendly per se, the retired athlete is well aware that Valente spends a considerable amount of time with his young children. For this reason, Brady is willing "to adapt" to the situation.
"Tom has to find the good in [Valente] and does believe he is a good guy," the insider said. "If Joaquim ever becomes a father figure to his kids, Tom will be able to adapt."
Brady and Bündchen share two children: son Benjamin, age 14, and daughter Vivian, age 11. The former Tampa Bay Buccaneers player also has a 16-year-old son named John, whom he welcomed with ex-wife Bridget Moynahan.
As far as coparenting goes, the insider assures Brady will have no trouble juggling the new dynamic. "People seem to forget Tom has a lot of practice with all of this from his time with Bridget," the source told the Daily Mail. "They had a child, they moved on and figured it out."
The insider added, "Stuff is working out with him and Gisele and if Joaquim is going to be in her life forever, then he will make it all work for the best for everyone, there is no other option."
Emily Weaver Emily is a NYC-based freelance entertainment and lifestyle writer — though, she’ll never pass up the opportunity to talk about women’s health and sports (she thrives during the Olympics).Read moreFiled UnderCelebrities • Divorce • Entertainment • NewsRead This NextGisele Bündchen Reveals Truth Behind Divorce
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