Cristiano Ronaldo's Presence Is Enough to Lead Real Madrid to 2013 ICC Title

Real Madrid's 3-1 victory over the Los Angeles Galaxy on Thursday proves that Cristiano Ronaldo doesn't need to be at his best in order for the Spanish giants to conquer the 2013 International Champions Cup this summer.

In fact, the superstar's presence alone will be enough to power Los Blancos to an exhibition title.

The former World Player of the Year missed his best scoring chance against the Galaxy in Round 1 earlier this week, hitting the crossbar from a few yards out just over five minutes into the match. But moments later Ronaldo drew three defenders to the ball on the right hand side, allowing Angel di Maria an easy finish to put Real ahead.

Ronaldo would continue to apply pressure on the Galaxy's defense, specifically goalkeeper Brian Rowe, finishing with five shots and an assist in the comfortable victory.

Karim Benzema's two-goal performance highlights Madrid's immense firepower and also adds to the argument that Real can win this tournament with Ronaldo seemingly on autopilot.

Sure, the remaining clubs, Everton, Chelsea and A.C. Milan are all formidable in their own right. But with Ronaldo drawing double teams and sometimes even three defenders when he gets in deep, Real will be at an advantage every second he's on the pitch.

As di Maria and Benzema showed in the first round, at any given moment any Real striker can be the hero. And if Ronaldo is making runs into the box and threatening on the edge, their jobs become even easier. 

No other squad remaining in the winner's bracket possesses a player of Ronaldo's caliber, and that will likely prove to be the difference over the next two rounds. 

That's right, the man who netted 55 goals in 55 matches with Real last season doesn't need to score a single goal in the club's next two matches in order to help bring home the hardware.

If this were the UEFA Champions League, Ronaldo would need to be on the very top of his game and scoring goals consistently in order for Real to have a shot, but this August his presence alone will be enough to spur Los Blancos to the International Champions Cup crown.

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