diff --git a/Slim/Routing/Router.php b/Slim/Routing/Router.php
index eee5ed1ce..057be4870 100644
--- a/Slim/Routing/Router.php
+++ b/Slim/Routing/Router.php
@@ -42,19 +42,17 @@ public function map(array $methods, string $path, callable|string $handler): Rou
             throw new InvalidArgumentException('HTTP methods array cannot be empty');
         }
 
-        $routePattern = $this->normalizePath($path);
-        $route = new Route($methods, $routePattern, $handler, null);
+        $route = new Route($methods, $path, $handler, null);
 
-        $this->collector->addRoute($methods, $routePattern, $route);
+        $this->collector->addRoute($methods, $path, $route);
 
         return $route;
     }
 
     public function group(string $path, callable $handler): RouteGroup
     {
-        $routePattern = $this->normalizePath($path);
-        $routeGroup = new RouteGroup($routePattern, $handler, $this->getRouteCollector());
-        $this->collector->addGroup($routePattern, $routeGroup);
+        $routeGroup = new RouteGroup($path, $handler, $this->getRouteCollector());
+        $this->collector->addGroup($path, $routeGroup);
 
         return $routeGroup;
     }
@@ -80,27 +78,4 @@ public function handle(ServerRequestInterface $request): ResponseInterface
             ->withPipeline($this->getMiddleware())
             ->handle($request);
     }
-
-    /**
-     * Normalizes a path by ensuring:
-     * - Starts with a forward slash
-     * - No trailing slash (unless root path)
-     * - No double slashes
-     */
-    private function normalizePath(string $path): string
-    {
-        // If path is empty or just a slash, return single slash
-        if ($path === '' || $path === '/') {
-            return '/';
-        }
-
-        // Ensure path starts with a slash
-        $path = '/' . ltrim($path, '/');
-
-        // Remove trailing slash unless it's the root path
-        $path = rtrim($path, '/');
-
-        // Replace multiple consecutive slashes with a single slash
-        return preg_replace('#/+#', '/', $path) ?? '';
-    }
 }
diff --git a/tests/AppTest.php b/tests/AppTest.php
index 4e1134ef0..cd14434e5 100644
--- a/tests/AppTest.php
+++ b/tests/AppTest.php
@@ -277,20 +277,20 @@ public static function routePatternsProvider(): array
     {
         return [
             // Route pattern -> http uri
-            // Empty route
-            ['', '/'],
             // Single slash route
             ['/', '/'],
-            // Route That Does Not Start With A Slash
-            ['foo', '/foo'],
             // Route That Does Not End In A Slash
             ['/foo', '/foo'],
             // Route That Ends In A Slash
-            ['/foo/', '/foo'],
+            ['/foo/', '/foo/'],
             // Route That Ends In A double Slash
-            ['/foo//', '/foo'],
+            ['/foo//', '/foo//'],
             // Route That contains In A double Slash
-            ['/foo//bar', '/foo/bar'],
+            ['/foo//bar', '/foo//bar'],
+            // FastRoute optional trailing slash segment matches /foo
+            ['/foo[/]', '/foo'],
+            // FastRoute optional trailing slash segment matches /foo/
+            ['/foo[/]', '/foo/'],
         ];
     }
 
@@ -315,6 +315,47 @@ public function testRoutePatterns(string $pattern, string $uri): void
         $this->assertSame('Hello World', (string)$response->getBody());
     }
 
+    public static function strictRouteMismatchProvider(): array
+    {
+        return [
+            'foo does not match foo trailing slash' => [
+                '/foo',       // route pattern
+                '/foo/',      // request URI
+            ],
+            'foo trailing slash does not match foo' => [
+                '/foo/',      // route pattern
+                '/foo',       // request URI
+            ],
+            'foo does not match FOO uppercase' => [
+                '/foo',       // route pattern
+                '/FOO',       // request URI
+            ],
+            'route without leading slash does not match' => [
+                'foo',        // route pattern
+                '/foo',       // request URI
+            ],
+        ];
+    }
+
+    #[DataProvider('strictRouteMismatchProvider')]
+    public function testStrictRouteMismatch(string $routePattern, string $requestUri): void
+    {
+        $this->expectException(HttpNotFoundException::class);
+
+        $app = AppFactory::create();
+        $app->addRoutingMiddleware();
+
+        $request = $this
+            ->getServerRequestFactory($app)
+            ->createServerRequest('GET', $requestUri);
+
+        $app->get($routePattern, function () {
+            // noop
+        });
+
+        $app->handle($request);
+    }
+
     /********************************************************************************
      * Route Groups
      *******************************************************************************/