Gisele Bündchen officially began dating Joaquim Valente in June 2023. The supermodel met the self-defense and jiu-jitsu instructor through her son, Benjamin Brady.
However, the couple was romantically linked in November 2022, a month after she finalized her divorce with her ex-husband, Tom Brady. They were spotted on vacation together in Costa Rica at that time.
Highlights
- Gisele Bündchen’s boyfriend Joaquim Valente is a self-defense and jiu-jitsu instructor.
- Joaquim co-founded the Valente Brothers Academy in Miami with his brothers, Pedro and Gui Valente.
- The Valente family, who originally hails from Rio de Janeiro, has a long legacy in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and self-defense training.
The Brazilian supermodel Gisele previously shared how glad she is to have Joaquim and brothers, Pedro and Gui, in her life.
“I’m so grateful to know all of them because not only have they helped me and my kids, but they have become great friends, and Joaquim especially.”
Gisele Bundchen told Vanity Fair in 2023
In addition, she also admired her boyfriend saying, he is ‘such a great person to have around her kids.’
She added that Joaquim is their teacher and, most importantly, he’s a person whom she admires and trusts. “It’s so good to have that kind of energy, to have my kids around that type of energy,” Gisele added.
Joaquim Is The Youngest Of The Valente Brothers
Along with his brothers, Pedro and Gui, Joaquim runs the Valente Brothers Academy in Miami.
The Rio de Janeiro native moved to Miami in 2007 to study criminology at Barry University.
Before this, he trained with Grandmaster Hélio Gracie in Brazil, as per the Valente Brothers Academy’s official website.
This academy teaches self-defense and jiu-jitsu to people of all ages and skill levels.
Pedro Jr., the eldest brother, moved to the U.S. in 1993 to attend the University of Miami.
The eldest Valente received his Instructor Certification from the Gracie Academy and began teaching jiu-jitsu in Miami.
In 1999, Joaquim’s second brother, Gui Valente, joined hands to help grow the academy.
All three brothers earned their Black belts and Professors’ Diplomas directly from Grandmaster Hélio Gracie.
"The Valente family is the only family other than the Gracie family to have four black belts and professor diplomas awarded directly by Grandmaster Hélio Gracie."
The Valente Brothers Academy is known for its effective self-defense system. The Valente brothers have taught jiu-jitsu to many officers from law enforcement agencies like the FBI and the U.S. Secret Service.
Moreover, Pedro holds an MBA from the University of Miami, Gui has a Master’s in Sport Management from Barry University, and Joaquim has a degree in criminology from Barry University.
Furthermore, three generations of the Valente family have practiced jiu-jitsu under Grandmaster Hélio Gracie.
It began with the Valente brothers’ grandfather, Dr. Syllo Valente and their grand-uncle, General Eliezer Valente, in the 1920s.
Dr. Syllo’s son and the Valente brother’s father, Pedro Sr., joined the Gracie Academy in 1953 and became a great jiu-jitsu practitioner and a trusted advisor to the Gracie family.
Pedro Sr. trained his sons, Pedro, Gui, and Joaquim, from a young age. According to the Valente brothers, they began learning jiu-jitsu from their father before they could walk.
Additional Information
- Joaquim Valente’s father, Pedro Valente Sr., also worked as a plastic surgeon.
- Pedro Sr. also held positions like Rio de Janeiro’s Secretary of Health and Secretary of Transportation.
- Joaquim’s net worth is estimated to be around $1 to $5 million.
