Veteran Australia defender Craig Moore is returning to the World Cup stage, 19 months after requiring surgery for testicular cancer which had threatened his career.
Moore is set to make his 51st international appearance in Sunday's Group D match against Germany, despite an earlier retirement following the 2006 tournament and a cancer fight he acknowledges is far from over.
``Cancer is not something you put to the back of your mind,'' Moore said. ``I realise that I have ongoing procedures, tests every three or four months, and I realise that there's a big chance in the first two years of it coming back.''
Moore played more than 100 times for Rangers, winning five Scottish league championships and a domestic treble in 2003. He moved to Borussia Moenchengladbach in Germany and then the English Premier League with Newcastle before being released in 2007.
In November 2008, Moore was back playing in Australia's national league for the Brisbane Roar when he found a lump, and his coach Frank Farina ordered him to the doctor.
``The doctor told him he needed surgery straight away,'' said Ian Hanson, Moore's spokesman. ``He said, 'You could either have it on Friday or Tuesday.' The first thing Craig said was, 'Can I have it on Tuesday so I can play Saturday night?' Which is just extraordinary.''
Moore will line up alongside captain Lucas Neill in the heart of Australia's defense. Their partnership is under intense scrutiny after a poor performance in the warm-up match against United States last week, where the pace of Edson Buddle caught them out.
While Moore's speed is waning, his intensity has never wavered. He went head to head, literally, with U.S. attacking midfielder Clint Dempsey after fouling the American.
Neill praised Moore's fighting spirit Saturday.
``Craig's a very tough competitor, he's proven that both on the pitch and off it,'' Neill said. ``He is one with great experience, good leadership qualities and he's been a very good servant to our country. And if this is to be his last time playing for Australia, then we wish him well. But, like him, we will want to go out on a high and make this the very best tournament we can for both him and Australia.''
Moore scored the first goal in Australia's 2-2 draw with Croatia in 2006 that helped the team advance to a second-round match against Italy. Then, he shared the experience of being in Australia's first team at a World Cup since 1974 with former junior teammates John Aloisi, Josip Skoko and Mark Viduka. He is the only remaining member of that quartet and will retire for a second and final time after this tournament.
``I know it will be my last time and I am really appreciating what it means to be in the national team and on the world stage,'' Moore said. ``Last time, it really was a trip into the unknown. But knowing this will be the last time for me is different.''
