“He changed his mind”: Gisele Bündchen opened up on why she and Tom Brady grew apart despite a picture-perfect marriage

Gisele Bündchen and Tom Brady were a modern power couple for years, balancing their global fame, family life, and elite careers. From the outside, their 13-year marriage looked stable, but their divorce in 2022 showed that there were deeper problems that had been building for a long time.

People and the media quickly filled the void after the breakup, looking for a single reason for the split. People are once again interested in what went wrong in Bündchen's last relationship now that she is married to jiu-jitsu instructor Joaquim Valente.

Why Gisele Bündchen and Tom Brady’s marriage came to an end

When confirming the divorce, Gisele Bündchen emphasized family and mutual respect, writing: "With much gratitude for our time together, Tom and I have amicably finalised our divorce.

My priority has always been and will continue to be my children, whom I love with all my heart. We will continue co-parenting to give them love, care and attention they need. The decision to end a marriage is never easy, but we have grown apart, and while it is, of course, difficult to go through something like this, I feel blessed for the time we had together and only wish the best for Tom always.

"In a later interview, Gisele Bündchen offered a more reflective view of ’how relationships evolve over time: "Sometimes you grow together; sometimes you grow apart.

When I was 26 years old, and he was 29 years old, we met, we wanted a family, we wanted things together. As time goes by, we realise that we just wanted different things, and now we have a choice to make. It takes years to happen. What’s been said is one piece of a much bigger puzzle.

"Bündchen's remarks pushed back against the idea that football alone caused the breakup. Still, Tom Brady’s decision to return to the NFL after announcing his retirement became a flashpoint. Reports at the time suggested Bündchen had hoped he would step away from the game to prioritize family life and long-term health.

One insider claimed, "Gisele told Tom either he leaves football to spend time with the family, or she is gone for good. She doesn’t want him to continue to get injured and not be able to enjoy life in the future. She is doing it for her family." Another source noted, "There’s been trouble in the marriage over his decision to un-retire. Gisele has always been the one with the kids. They had agreed he would retire to focus on the family, then he changed his mind.

"Today, the two still have a respectful co-parenting relationship and are thankful for the time they spent together. Gisele Bündchen and Tom Brady's story is a reminder that even the best relationships can change in ways we don't expect. Love can create a strong base, but time, ambition, and personal growth can make that base less shared.