Gisele Bundchen celebrated her husband Joaquim Valente’s 39th birthday with a heartfelt message on Friday, as her former husband, Tom Brady, continues his romance with fellow supermodel Candice Swanepoel.
The 46-year-old Brazilian model shared an intimate photo of herself and the Jiu-Jitsu instructor posing cheek-to-cheek.
“Today a great man was born, @joaquimvalente,” Bundchen wrote across the image in Portuguese, her native language. “How lucky I am. I love you so much!”
Bundchen recently appeared at a charity event with Valente, showing no apparent concern over Brady’s relationship with her fellow Victoria’s Secret model. In the birthday photo, she wore a fitted gold mesh top that highlighted her toned midriff, while Valente opted for a green button-up shirt.
The couple married in a private ceremony last December, eight months after welcoming their son, whose name they have not revealed publicly.
Initials seen on jewelry have fueled speculation that the boy’s first name begins with an A. His middle name has reportedly been identified as River, according to JustJared.
Gisele Bundchen honored her husband Joaquim Valente on his 39th birthday, writing in Portuguese that she felt lucky and loved him deeply (Source: @gisele/Instagram)
The 46-year-old Brazilian model wrote in her native Portuguese that she felt fortunate and loved Valente very much. Above, Bundchen in 2025
Bundchen also shares two children, Benjamin Rein, 16, and Vivian Lake, 13, with Brady. The former couple divorced in 2022 after 13 years of marriage, and both children’s names have water-related associations.
Meanwhile, Bundchen is reportedly unfazed by Brady’s relationship with Swanepoel.
Brady, 49, and the 38-year-old Victoria’s Secret Angel began dating in June after being introduced by mutual friends.
The pair are said to connect over raising their children. Swanepoel has two sons, Anacan, 10, and Ariel, eight, with her former fiancé, Brazilian model Hermann Nicoli.
Bundchen’s tribute to Valente came shortly after she discussed feeling “lucky” to have the freedom to choose her professional projects.
“I feel lucky because I can pick and choose what I do, and I work only with people I genuinely enjoy being around,” she told W Magazine for its Summer Issue, published in June.
“When I was younger, I was often asking myself, Am I doing enough? Am I getting it right? After more than 30 years in front of the camera, I’ve come to really understand everything that goes into creating an image.
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“I also understand that every image creates a feeling, and when you are confident and accepting of yourself, everything flows naturally.”
Bundchen and Valente married in a private ceremony last December, eight months after the birth of their son, whose name remains undisclosed (Source: @gisele/Instagram)
Jewelry bearing initials has suggested that the couple’s son may have a first name beginning with A, while his middle name is reportedly River (Source: @gisele/Instagram)
The family spent time on the water in Miami on Saturday, with Valente at the wheel as Bundchen held their son in her lap
Bundchen, a mother of three, is reportedly untroubled by her former husband Tom Brady’s romance with Candice Swanepoel
The former NFL quarterback and Fox Sports analyst began dating the 38-year-old Victoria’s Secret Angel in June after meeting through mutual friends. Above, Swanepoel on October 18
During the interview, Bundchen also reflected on how much her personality contributed to her career success.
She remains one of the highest-paid models in the fashion industry.
“Confidence and health can naturally come across as sensuality, but for me it was never about trying to project an image – I was just being myself,” she told the magazine.
“Once people started associating me with ‘the return of the sexy model,’ things happened fast.
“Rejection had taught me resilience and not to base my self-worth on other people’s opinions.”
Bundchen continued: “One day I was doing constant castings and hearing ‘no’ over and over, and then suddenly I was working nonstop.
“But now I realize that what people responded to wasn’t only my look, but also my personality.
“I was very alive and happy to be there.”