The speculated romance between Gisele Bündchen and her jiu-jitsu trainer Joaquim Valente is not dying down, with a new source claiming the pair got intimate on Valentine’s Day.
The love rumors have been floating around since the former Victoria’s Secret Angel ended her marriage to NFL superstar Tom Brady in 2022. Although she previously denied romantic ties to Valente, the pair were reportedly spotted locking lips on Wednesday.
Gisele Bündchen Allegedly ‘Deeply In Love’ With Her Jiu-Jitsu Instructor
Valentine’s is a day for lovers to express affection, and insiders recently alleged that Bündchen got passionate about her feelings for the jiu-jitsu trainer. The rumored couple enjoyed a romantic night in their Miami neighborhood.
According to the source, “They’re deeply in love” and frequently spend time together. During their V-Day outing, the pair flaunted their speculated relationship by sharing a hot kiss, per the insider’s claims. Another informant alleged that “[They’ve been] discreetly been seeing each other since the summer.”
Valente has been regularly photographed with Bündchen and her kids on multiple trips to Costa Rica and their native country of Brazil. He has also been seen with the family on their vacations, enjoying intimate activities like paddleboarding, strolling on the beach, jogging, and riding horses, among other scenes.
Weeks after Bündchen and Brady’s divorce announcement, Valente was spotted with the model and her children on a trip to Costa Rica. However, a source at the time said: “[Joaquim] and his two brothers are Gisele and the kids’ martial arts teachers. They are not dating.”
Similarly, Bündchen denied the dating rumors with a cryptic Instagram post in 2023 following a viral sighting with the jiu-jitsu instructor. She dropped the quote: “Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth.”
Nonetheless, the dating rumors didn’t dissolve, with another insider telling Page Six the pair have allegedly been together for at least a year. The source claimed the couple had been spotted leaving each other’s places and walking her dog together.
Inside Gisele Bündchen’s Relationship With Her Jiu-Jitsu Trainer
Before their alleged Valentine’s Day kiss, Bündchen and Valente were last seen enjoying a trip in Costa Rica ahead of Thanksgiving in November 2023. The group was photographed having a relaxing lunch in a picturesque tropical setting.
As stated, Valente is Bündchen’s jiu-jitsu trainer, and they first met when she signed her children up for lessons at his family-owned gym in Miami. She eventually joined the classes and raved about her excitement to practice self-defense in an Instagram post.
She shared a video of herself practicing with Valente alongside the caption: “I believe the more tools we have in our toolbox, the better. I feel stronger, more confidence, and empowered since I started practicing self-defense. I feel it’s an important skill for all, but specially for us women.”
“Thank you, @ValenteBrothers, for being awesome teachers and for making training so much fun,” Bündchen concluded. This wasn’t her first time raving about Valente’s classes, as she previously confessed he inspired her to start learning jiu-jitsu.
“Initially, I wasn’t even considering it for myself, to be honest with you,” she recalled in a 2022 interview, adding: “But when I brought him to the first class and started talking with Joaquim, I realized that it was much more than self-defense and became interested in the philosophy.”
“It felt very much in line with what I believe in and look for in my life and how I have a path to develop and become the best version of myself … then I was hooked,” she declared.
Her jiu-jitsu lessons led to more sightings with Valente and, eventually, the dating rumors. However, she refuted the speculations in a 2023 cover story for Vanity Fair, describing Valente as someone she enjoys spending time with. In her words:
“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.”
As for the dating speculations, Bündchen lamented: “I think, at this point, unfortunately, because I’m divorced, I’m sure that they’re going to try to attach me to anything.” She noted she was grateful to know Valente and his brothers, declaring, “They have become great friends, and Joaquim especially.”