“Haven’t Had a Christmas in 23 Years”: Years Before ‘Ronaldo Effect’, Hard Working Tom Brady Spoke About His Shortcomings

The “Cristiano Effect” has inspired many athletes to keep playing at a high level, even in their late 30s. For example, after witnessing Cristiano Ronaldo score a hat-trick for Manchester United at Old Trafford, Tom Brady decided to come out of retirement and play football again.

Brady had a chat with Ronaldo after the game, and the Portuguese star may have persuaded him to return to the field. This did not please Brady’s ex-wife, Gisele Bundchen, who was hoping for more family time with her husband. Brady had admitted before that his playing career had taken a toll on his personal life.

23 years without holidays

A report by Marca suggests, that Brady revealed that he has missed out on a lot of important moments in his life because of his football career. He said that for 23 years, Brady has never celebrated Christmas: “I haven’t had a Christmas in 23 years and I haven’t had a Thanksgiving in 23 years.” Brady stated he has also skipped the birthdays of his friends and family who were born between August and January, even not been able to attend any weddings or funerals either.

Ex-wife Gisele’s role as a parent

Its possible Gisele Bündchen felt betrayed when Tom Brady decided to play another season in the NFL, after announcing his retirement in February 2022. She filed for divorce in November 2022, ending their 13-year marriage. The supermodel had previously told Elle magazine that she had supported her husband’s career and dreams while creating a loving environment for their children. But his absence for extended periods of time definitely took its toll.

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She told People in 2016, “It’s not easy. It’s a lot of sacrifice. It’s a lot of time away. It’s a lot of focus.” She did not reveal how much her desire for more family time influenced Brady’s choice to retire for good in February 2023. Being with her superstar husband probably means that Gisele has to parent solo for most of the year, and spend Christmas without him.

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