Category | Details |
---|---|
Full Name | Joelinton Cássio Apolinário de Lira |
Date of Birth | 14 August 1996 |
Birthplace | Aliança, Pernambuco, Brazil |
Height | 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) |
Club | Newcastle United |
Position | Midfielder, Winger |
Shirt Number | 7 |
Partner | Thays Gondim (since 2015, married in 2024) |
Children | Three (born in 2017, 2020, and 2023) |
Notable Moments | Gender reveal at St James’ Park, wedding serenaded by Bruno Guimarães |
Verified Source | https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/players/joelinton |
Joelinton’s story has been shaped by tackles, goals, and tactical innovations for almost ten years. However, a parallel story of consistent devotion, emotional stability, and unwavering presence is subtly woven through each step. His wife, Thays Gondim, who has been by his side from his early ascent in Brazil to the thunder of Premier League stadiums, is the rightful owner of that tale.
Joelinton and Thays met in Brazil in 2015, and they started their journey together in the humble setting of domestic league games and youth football. Together, the couple adjusted to new cities, unfamiliar customs, and foreign languages when Joelinton moved to Europe and joined Rapid Wien in Austria. They welcomed their first son in February 2017 while residing in Vienna. Their perspective—family first, always—would be defined by that moment, especially the grounding.
Joelinton joined Newcastle United in 2019 bearing the burden of a record-breaking £40 million fee at every turn. The initial critiques were harsh. Following Joelinton’s debut against Arsenal, Alan Shearer delivered a particularly scathing public reprimand. But Thays remained silently encouraging despite the commotion. She was frequently spotted at matches, not because she had to but because she believed in the man behind the shirt.
Despite having only 26,000 followers, her social media presence is surprisingly genuine. Thays offers a remarkably genuine depiction of life behind the football curtains, with posts frequently centered on motherhood and family milestones. Her public persona is modest and authentic, in contrast to the glamorous influencer look that many footballer partners adopt; this resonates especially well with women who play comparable roles away from home.
The birth of their daughter Julia in October 2020 and a third child in June 2023, just after a gender reveal held right on the grounds of St. James’ Park, further grew their family. The pitch wasn’t the only thing that attracted attention. For a brief while, the stadium—usually a battlefield for Premier League intensity—became a celebration of love and life. It was a symbolically rich gesture that felt remarkably natural, fusing public identity with personal milestones.
Joelinton proposed in August 2022 in front of family and close friends, and they were married in May 2024. Newcastle teammate Bruno Guimarães performed an impromptu serenade during the small but unforgettable ceremony. Joelinton had turned into more than just a football player thanks to his tactical innovations on the field and his emotional fortitude off it; he was now a tale of metamorphosis influenced by friendship as much as coaching.
A growing group of encouraging football partners who value sincerity over showmanship include Thays Gondim. Like Vanja Modrić or Antonela Roccuzzo, she is not only next to Joelinton’s fame but also vital to the emotional framework that keeps it going. The transactional public romances that frequently make headlines contrast sharply with their relationship. It seems to be based on permanence rather than conspicuousness, on loyalty rather than power.
During two disturbing events in 2023 and 2024, that strength was especially noticeable. Joelinton was given a temporary driving ban and a £29,000 fine after being arrested for drunk driving in January 2023. Despite the extensive media coverage, the family decided against making any dramatic announcements. During this time, Thays’s calm demeanor reflected maturity; they were protective of their kids and unconcerned with controversy.
Then, in January 2024, while Joelinton was playing, burglars broke into their Newcastle home. Although Thays and the kids were surprisingly absent when the break-in occurred, the event raised fresh worries about the security of football players’ families. Her subsequent privacy-first strategy, which protected her kids and never took advantage of the situation, only served to strengthen her morals.
Partners like Thays symbolize a change in the emotional culture of football in a broader sense. Even though a lot of clubs now spend money on leadership coaching and performance psychology, intimate partners’ emotional intelligence is rarely recognized despite the fact that it frequently has a far greater impact. Women like Thays provide incredibly powerful support networks through emotional anchoring, consistent routines, and sympathetic listening.
Football is evolving. Players are now just as visible off the field as they are on matchdays due to social media, which has made it harder to distinguish between their personal and professional lives. The story of partners like Thays Gondim in this new era is about cultural shifts, emotional labor, and subtly forming legacies rather than fashion choices or WAG drama.
Joelinton’s ascent as he approaches the height of his career appears to be closely aligned with the development of his domestic life. It wasn’t a coincidence that he became a dominant box-to-box midfielder under Eddie Howe. It happened as he was acclimating to a life characterized by joyful household life, parental routines, and a partner who supported him through late-night headlines and career setbacks.
Despite not being frequently featured in interviews or profiles, Thays Gondim has emerged as a key player in Joelinton’s career success. Her story serves as a model for resiliency, trust, and what it means to develop as a community in public. It is more than just a side story. The Joelinton-Gondim collaboration is subtly changing our perception of the support that goes along with celebrity in a time when vulnerability is bravery and authenticity is currency.