EVERYONE reckons Craig Moore is a hero. Everyone, that is, except the man himself.

"Hero? That's too strong a word," he says.

Typical "Moorey". He talks likes he moves. Without fanfare.

But some things are what they are. Last weekend in Brisbane, Moore surprised his teammates, perhaps even himself, by leading out Queensland Roar at Suncorp Stadium. It was 12 days after he'd had surgery after being diagnosed with testicular cancer. Forget the physical challenge, what about the mental one?

"I felt a bit sick and sorry for myself for a couple of days, then I had to get out of the house. I did what needed to be done [surgery], and I felt well enough to do what I normally do, which is play football. Playing is like therapy right now, no doubt about it."

So Moore will be there again, leading out the visiting team at Sydney Football Stadium tonight, with his career, his future, in the balance. On December 17, he will have a scan to determine how successful the operation has been. Until then, it's business as usual. A game tonight against Sydney FC, then two more against Newcastle Jets and Central Coast Mariners, before he's back in the hands of the specialists. Chemotherapy cannot be ruled out. It's a challenge faced by thousands of Australians, every day. But not many face it so publicly. Which is what makes Moore so courageous, even if he won't admit it.

Once the secret was out, he was flooded with messages of support. He may not be the most famous of the Socceroos, but where it counts - inside the dressing room - he's always been among the most respected and popular. A born leader. He's doing it again, through his deeds rather than his words. For last week's World Cup match in Bahrain, the Socceroos all wore Moore's No.3 shirt in the warm-up, proudly emblazoned with his name across the shoulder. Take a straw poll of the national squad, and they'd have him back as captain, tomorrow.