Welcome to the spotlight, Joaquim Valente
Does Gisele Bündchen already have a new man just weeks after finalizing her divorce from Tom Brady?
It certainly looks that way, as Bündchen was spotted out Saturday in Costa Rica with jiu-jitsu instructor Joaquim Valente.
Of course, this doesn’t actually confirm anything. Bündchen’s two children (with Brady) — Benjamin, 12, and Vivian, 9 — and Valente’s friend joined the dinner, as well. But as Page Six notes, Brazilian gossip site Purepeople reported last week Bündchen and Valente are dating.
A source connected to Bündchen refuted that rumor to TMZ. Still, the dinner (date?) obviously raises questions. Not only did Bündchen and Brady officially announce their split less than a month ago. Bündchen also has a fairly extensive history with Valente that goes back well over a year.
Bündchen and Valente did a photoshoot together for Dust magazine in 2021. The former even took jiu-jitsu lessons from the latter, which she subsequently posted about on social media. Bündchen signed her kids up for lessons, too.
Throw in the fact that Bündchen and Brady frequently vacationed in Costa Rica — Valente lives in Miami, per TMZ — and the whole situation makes you scratch your chin.
“It always seemed weird she just one day abruptly ended the marriage,” a source close to Brady told TMZ.
The Brady-Bündchen marriage seemed to be on the rocks for a while, with the supermodel reportedly upset about the Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback unretiring to play a 23rd NFL season. But now, it’s fair to wonder whether there was more to their apparent issues behind the scenes.