It was another lost weekend in Europe for the three most talented players the United States has ever produced. With the World Cup just 16 months away and Bob Bradley, like most managers, reluctant to call on players not receiving regular minutes at the club level, this situation could become a problem for the national team really soon.

But I suspect the bigger issue for U.S. fans at present is the simple lack of respect afforded their biggest stars. I've never bought into the theory of a bias against American players overseas, but I must confess these are three of the most bizarre cases I can ever recall.

I've already spoken recently about Freddy Adu, and the absurdity of his not being able to get a game at Monaco, but Jozy Altidore might just have Freddy beat right now. The former Red Bulls standout has yet to see the field at Xerez, a second-division club in Spain, since being loaned out by Villareal during the winter transfer window.

Manager Esteban Benitez is on record as saying he won't fiddle with the lineup as long as the team is winning. There are also reports some of the club's strikers were none too pleased with Altidore's arrival. The only good news, I suppose, is Xerez drew at home against Rayo Vallecano on Saturday, snapping a five-match winning streak.

Early indications are that Altidore might have made the same mistake as Adu, assuming a move to a lesser club would ensure increased playing time. Then again, that logic seems to apply with most other players around the world.

Landon Donovan's situation at Bayern Munich, though perhaps the easiest to understand, is disappointing nonetheless. After an impressive preseason generated such optimism among his legion of fans, for the vibe to suddenly change and for Donovan to become an afterthought as soon as the games started for real … it has been a tough pill to swallow.

It's pretty clear that nobody in the organization, other than Jurgen Klinsmann, had any interest in Donovan, and the chances of him securing a permanent transfer were extremely remote. After all, what would it say about a club of Bayern's stature for an American to step in and have a major impact? And isn't that the point?

This country has made enormous strides at the international level, but the success hasn't boosted the reputation of U.S. players in Europe all that much. To date, no American outfield player has left any kind of mark with a top club overseas. (Sorry, Fulham doesn't qualify.)

U.S. fans yearn for that validation, whether they like to admit it or not, which is what makes the plight of these three so galling. It's been a long time coming, but the feeling now is that the United States possesses good enough players to have more of a presence in the top European leagues. All they need is a fair shake.

Unfortunately, it doesn't appear to be coming anytime soon. So what U.S. fans must hope for is the emergence of an American soccer Jackie Robinson. All it would take is for one player to rise above the prejudice, if you will, and do something special on a really big stage. But that, as we know, is easier said than done.