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Tom Brady and Gisele Bündchen’s camps appear to be duking it out in the press over the model’s relationship with her new man.
Last week, Page Six exclusively reported that Bündchen and her jiu-jitsu trainer, Joaquim Valente, are a couple and are “deeply in love.”
But “sources” sought to downplay the romance, with insiders telling People a few days later: “They have been dating since June. 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.”
Then Brady’s pals appeared to call “BS” on the dating timeline that appeared in People, with other “sources” running to TMZ to tell the outlet, “They should add ‘2021’ after June. Then the headline would be accurate.”
The model and the instructor met in December 2021. gisele/InstagramBrady and the supermodel divorced in October of 2022, after they’d separated months earlier in June.
But a source close to Bündchen insists there was no cheating.
Valente and his brother, who is also a trainer, have been on several trips to Costa Rica, and Brazil, with Bündchen, going as far back as Nov. 2022.
His presence on the trip raised eyebrows at the time. But our source says he was there merely to give the family intensive jiu-jitsu training, and that his brother was also with them.
The model and Valente appeared in a photo shoot for Dust magazine’s November 2022 issue. valentebrothers/InstagramAt the time of the 2022 trip, Bundchen was living part time between Tampa, Fla., and Costa Rica while she waited for a Miami home to be finished. The martial arts studio is in Miami, so the butt-kicking brothers would travel with them to give them lessons, sources said.
Things were fully platonic at the time, says a source who calls Valente a “true friend.”
Bündchen and Valente “had a conversation and became a couple” in July 2023, insisted the source to Page Six.
They have been to Costa Rica together several times. BACKGRIDPage Six broke the news the pair are a couple last week, when a source saw them kissing on Valentine’s Day in their Miami neighborhood.
Bündchen previously told Vanity Fair in a cover story in March 2023 of rumors she was dating Valente, “He’s our teacher and, most importantly, he’s a person that I admire and that I trust. It’s so good to have that kind of energy, to have my kids around that type of energy.”
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She also stated, “I think, at this point, unfortunately, because I’m divorced, I’m sure that they’re going to try to attach me to anything… I’m so grateful to know all of [the Valente brothers], because not only have they helped me and helped my kids, but they have become great friends, and Joaquim especially.”
The model and the quarterback separated in June 2022, and divorced by October 2022. GC Images Valente has been spotted with the model doing a number of activities. MEGA / BACKGRIDValente has been seen with Bündchen paddleboarding, strolling on the beach, jogging, riding horses, and hitting the gym, as well as picking up the Sports Illustrated model from the airport.
Meanwhile, Brady has not been serious with anyone, but has been spotted on-and-off with Irina Shayk — and has been hanging out with his pal Leonardo DiCaprio.
Brady and Bündchen have two children together, plus a child whom he shares with ex Bridget Moynahan.