November 30 is National Heroes' Day among Filipinos. Let's take the time to honor our national and personal heroes who came before us, recognize the heroes that live among us and bring out the hero within us.

As the World Cup grabs the world's attention and passions, here are some football history trivia with Philippine roots:

Did you know that...

* before the legendary Lionel Messi of Argentina established the record for number of career goals in world football, the record that went unchallenged for 87 years was held by Paulino Alcantara, a Spaniard born in Iloilo, who wowed as the star player in the Barcelona team (1912-1927?)? His Barcelona football career was interrupted for two years when he returned to the Philippines with his parents to settle personal matters between 1916-1918. While in Manila, Paulino joined the Philippine Commonwealth National (Football) Team which he steered towards the championship of the Far Eastern Championship Games in Japan in 1917. That feat remains unmatched in Philippine football history.

* Filipino-French Alphonse Areola, a backup goalie for the 2018 World Cup champion French team, is the only footballer of Filipino descent with a true World Cup victory and medal to his name?

PF Correspondent Myles Garcia regales us with Paulino Alcantara's story and more in "Bend It Like Paulino...and Friends."

In the predictable arena of beauty contests, an outlier has created waves by being herself. Such a strange concept, this refreshing authenticity, as noted by first-time PF contributor Ian Layugan who profiles one of the Binibining Pilipinas winners, Herlene Budol.

They were the soft power that provided the counterpoint to a basically brutal US colonial conquest of the Philippines at the turn of the 20th century. They were the American teachers largely responsible for shaping the Philippines and Filipinos in America's image. From the US-Philippines Society, a report on a new book that tells the story of the Thomasites.

And when we speak of heroes, we look at our own.

Read Again about our other National Hero, Andres Bonifacio:

http://www.positivelyfilipino.com/magazine/andres-bonifacio-the-other-national-hero

Read Again about some less-celebrated but no less worthy ones:

http://www.positivelyfilipino.com/magazine/six-profiles-five-in-valor-one-in-villainy

For the Happy Home Cook, here's a dish that can delight any day.

Cook Again: http://www.positivelyfilipino.com/magazine/the-happy-home-cook-chicken-curry

Video of the Week: Maria Ressa Talks About New Book