Supermodel Gisele Bundchen has entered a new era in her relationship with professional Jiu-Jitsu trainer Joaquin Valente. On February 5, 2025, TMZ broke the news that the couple had recently welcomed their first child. The next day, a source told People magazine that they had a baby boy.
After Bündchen divorced Tom Brady in 2022, she began dating Valente in June 2023. Valente and Bündchen were friends before they became romantically involved.
In March 2024, Bündchen confirmed that she was dating Valente. In an interview with the New York Times, she said, “It’s the first time I’m meeting someone who was my friend. It’s so different. So honest, so transparent.”
So how did they meet… and how did their love story begin after that? Here’s a timeline of their relationship and everything you need to know about Valente.
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They have been dating since June 2023.
According to People magazine, Bündchen and Valente dated for more than six months before reports of their relationship surfaced in February 2024.
“They’ve been dating since June. They’ve been dating slowly,” a source revealed. “They started out as great friends. She was very secretive about this and wanted to keep it quiet until they got to know each other.”
“They started off as friends,” another source told People. “He was a great comfort to Gisele while she was going through her divorce. After the divorce, their friendship became romantic.”
“Joaquin is a great guy,” they added. “He’s down to earth, kind and inspiring. Gisele was reluctant to date after her divorce, so dating Joaquin comes very naturally to her.”
The source added that Bündchen, like her, “loves being Brazilian.” “They have similar backgrounds. They both left Brazil very young. They’ve both built great lives for themselves in America. They both love Miami, but they also enjoy traveling. They both enjoy healthy living. Gisele is in a great space. She’s happy and enjoying life very much. Joaquín is the perfect fit for her.”
In October 2024, a source told People that Bündchen was pregnant with her first child.
Bündchen and Valente had good news in late October. A source told People magazine in a statement that Bundchen is pregnant with her first and third children. A source said: “Gisele and Joaquin are happy with this new chapter in their lives and are looking forward to creating a peaceful and loving environment for their entire family.”
A few days later, on Nov. 4, People shared a source’s comment that Bundchen is “excited to openly embrace this new chapter.”
The source added that the model “received many positive messages and well wishes” but “wanted to keep it as private as possible, but that was starting to become difficult.”
The source added that she is “feeling great” and continues to do “Pilates and other exercises that will help with childbirth.” Bündchen has “always taken incredible care of herself,” adding that she “eats healthy and meditates.”
In February 2025, news broke that Bundchen had given birth to her first child, a boy, with Valente.
Although the baby’s gender and date of birth were kept secret, TMZ reported on February 5 that Bundchen had “recently” given birth to her first child with Valente. She and the baby are “healthy” and Bundchen is “very happy,” the outlet said.
On February 6th, a source told People that they have a baby boy, whom they have given the middle name River. All of Bundchen’s children have water-themed nicknames.
As friends, the two traveled together and were photographed in Costa Rica from November 2022 to January 2023.
Before they started dating, the two were close friends and were often photographed vacationing together.
According to the Daily Mail, Bündchen and Valente were spotted jogging in Costa Rica in January 2023, but a source denied the rumors at the time, saying, “He has been her child’s jiu-jitsu teacher for years. There is no truth to the rumors that they are dating.”
On November 16, 2022, Page Six also obtained photos of Bündchen and Valente during a trip to Costa Rica. This time, her children and his jiu-jitsu students, Benjamin Lane, then 13, and Vivian Lake, then 10, were also with her.
He is a Jiu-Jitsu trainer and has worked with Bündchen and his family for years.
Bündchen thanked her preteen son for his relationship with Valente. He is one-third of the Valente brothers and co-founder of the Miami Jiu-Jitsu Academy. In 2021, Bundchen signed her son up for classes at a martial arts school. After taking him to his first class and talking to Valente, she decides to enroll herself.
On February 23, 2023, Bundchen posted a reel of Valente brothers sparring in their studio on Instagram.
“I believe the more tools you have in your toolbox, the better. Since I started practicing self-defense, I feel stronger, more confident, and more empowered. I feel it’s an important skill for everyone, but especially for us. For the ladies. Thank you @ValenteBrothers for being a great teacher and making training so much fun. I look forward to continuing to improve. Let’s go! 🤛🏼,” she wrote in the caption.
Valente has been training Jiu-Jitsu since he was two years old.
Bundchen denied rumors that she cheated on Valente with Tom Brady.
In a March 2024 interview with The New York Times, Bündchen said of rumors that she had met Valente before her divorce from Tom Brady: “That’s a lie.”
“This is what happens to many women who find the courage to leave an unhealthy relationship and are stigmatized when they are labeled unfaithful,” Bündchen continued. “They have to face their community. They have to face their family. Of course, for me, it just happened to be a little amplified.”
Valente has a degree in criminology.
In 2007, Valente moved to Miami to study criminology at Barry University.
Valente’s Instagram account is private.
If you were expecting Instastalking, you’ll be disappointed. Valente has an Instagram account, but it is currently set to private.
Valente released a cookbook in March 2024 with Gisele’s support.
On Wednesday, March 27, Bündchen and Valente attended the launch of their new cookbook, Nourish. It was their first public outing as a couple. In a photo shared by Entertainment Tonight, Valente chats with guests at The Hub in Miami Beach while Bundchen talks about her new book and some personal anecdotes from the stage.
One fan asked what she would eat after a “hard day or goodbye.”
The answer was ice cream.
Bündchen then thanked Valente and his brothers for teaching him about “food spacing and food combinations.”
The two were spotted taking a walk together in June 2024.
As of mid-June, Bündchen and Valente had hinted that their relationship was still on good terms. On June 15, the Daily Mail published a photo of the two walking Bundchen’s dog together in Seaside, Florida. There was also a loving photo of them arm in arm. The couple wore casual clothes, with Bundchen wearing a white tank top, cargo pants and flip-flops. Valente was wearing a blue T-shirt, black shorts and sneakers.
In August 2024, Bündchen and Valente are enjoying time together in Florida.
The couple was spotted riding a watercraft near Bundchen’s home in Miami. The Daily Mail published a photo of the two riding a watercraft, and Valente was also seen taking a selfie. He was shirtless wearing camo pants and a navy hat, while Bündchen opted for a black bikini with an animal-print wrap. She finished her look with a large braided sun hat.
They were photographed kissing in Costa Rica during Thanksgiving in 2024.
Bündchen and Valente enjoyed a romantic getaway in Costa Rica over the Thanksgiving holiday. A photo of the couple kissing on the beach was published, with Bundchen wearing a sheer white dress over a black bikini. In other shots, they were holding hands. This was one of the most affectionate outings since news broke that Bündchen is pregnant with her first child with Valente.
They were in Costa Rica for Christmas 2024.
Bundchen was photographed swimming with Valente in Costa Rica on Christmas Eve, wearing a black string bikini that showed off her pregnant belly. Her boyfriend and daughter sometimes joined her as she strutted through the waves.
Bundchen and Valente were photographed for the first time since welcoming their son in March 2025.
On March 9, Bundchen and Valente were spotted on a yacht in Miami, the first time they have been seen together since news of their son’s birth broke in February 2025. Bündchen’s 12-year-old daughter, Vivian, also accompanied her. Bundchen wore a cheetah-print swimsuit and black sarong, while Valente appeared to be steering the boat.
Bundchen went out for the first time with her newborn baby in mid-March.
On March 13, Bundchen was seen out for a walk in Miami with her baby cradled on her chest and her dog under her arm. The model wore a white baseball cap, sunglasses, a white tank top, beige leggings, and white sneakers. The baby was held in a navy blue carrier and wrapped in a white blanket.
The couple was photographed kissing in late March.
On March 22nd and 23rd, Bündchen and Valente were seen kissing on a yacht in Miami and enjoying the weekend. On Saturday, Bundchen wore a black one-piece swimsuit with a wraparound skirt, and on Sunday she opted for a cheetah print swimsuit and black sarong. Valente stayed casual both days in a black T-shirt and shorts.
Bundchen shared her first photo with Valente’s son on Mother’s Day in 2025.
Bündchen shared the first photo of her baby with Valente on Instagram. In the photo, the newborn, wearing a white dress with the words “I ❤️ Mom” written on it, is facing away from the camera and resting on her shoulder. The second photo shows Valente, her two older children, and a baby, marking the first public appearance of the family of five. In her caption, Bundchen reflected on motherhood, her time offline, and her mother, who passed away last year. “Lately, I’ve been loving the slow rhythm, the real connection, and the beauty of the lessons that come with being present. I miss my mom especially today on Mother’s Day, but my heart is full.”
Bundchen shared more photos of her and Valente’s baby in a July 2025 birthday post.
On July 23, 2025, Bundchen posted on Instagram for the first time in almost two months to celebrate her 45th birthday. The merry-go-round featured a new photo of her and Valente’s baby. One photo showed Valente walking with his son in a baby carrier, and the other showed his son’s footprints stamped on a birthday card that read, “Feliz Aniversario Mamae!!!”
“Even though I haven’t been here much, I just wanted to take a moment to say thank you for all the warm birthday wishes. I’m so grateful to have been able to travel around the sun again,” Bundchen wrote in the caption. Today is also my mother’s birthday. I miss her very much, but I know she will always be with us. I will continue to have faith, welcome life with an open heart, and be grateful for everything that is to come.
She shared rare photos of Valente for his birthday in November 2025.
On Nov. 8, Bündchen posted a photo of them walking hand in hand on the beach as the sun set, and the model held her son to celebrate Valente’s birthday. She set the image to the song “Love Love” and captioned it, “Happy birthday @joaquimvalente! I love you!”
