Phoenix 24
A personal celebration reveals a quieter chapter of her life.
MIAMI
Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bündchen has shared a rare public tribute to her husband, Joaquim Valente, celebrating his 39th birthday with an affectionate photograph and a personal message on Instagram. The gesture offers a glimpse into the couple’s relationship as Bündchen continues to prioritize family life after decades in the international fashion industry.
The 46-year-old model posted the photograph on November 7 through Instagram Stories, showing herself smiling alongside Valente, a Brazilian jiu-jitsu instructor based in Florida.
In a message written in Portuguese, she described her husband as a great man, expressed how fortunate she felt to have him in her life and declared her love for him.
The celebration attracted attention partly because Bündchen and Valente have generally maintained a relatively private relationship, occasionally sharing family photographs without making their personal lives a constant subject of public discussion.
The couple began dating in 2023 and welcomed their first child together in February 2025. They married in a private ceremony in Florida in December of that year, establishing a new chapter following Bündchen’s divorce from former NFL quarterback Tom Brady in 2022.
Bündchen also shares two children, Benjamin and Vivian, with Brady. Her commitment to motherhood has increasingly influenced the professional and personal choices she makes.
In an interview with i-D magazine, the Brazilian model explained that she declines most professional opportunities when they interfere with family responsibilities. After building one of fashion’s most internationally recognized careers, she described a growing preference for experiences that allow her to remain present in her children’s lives.
Her relationship with Valente developed through a shared interest in physical well-being and martial arts. The instructor works alongside his brothers in a Brazilian jiu-jitsu academy in the Miami area, where the family promotes discipline, personal development and self-defense.
The birthday celebration also included a tribute from the Valente Brothers account, featuring an earlier photograph of Bündchen and Joaquim practicing martial arts together. The model responded with another affectionate message, reinforcing the personal significance of the occasion.
Although public interest in her former marriage remains substantial, Bündchen’s recent statements indicate that she is increasingly focused on the life she has built rather than revisiting earlier relationships.
Her latest Instagram post reflects that change without requiring an elaborate public announcement. A single photograph and a brief dedication were enough to attract international media coverage.
The episode also illustrates how celebrity narratives can evolve. For someone whose career has been closely associated with global visibility, choosing when and how to share personal experiences has become an important expression of independence.
Bündchen’s birthday tribute ultimately reveals less about the spectacle of celebrity relationships than about her apparent preference for family, privacy and the everyday experiences she now considers meaningful.
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