Real Madrid travelled to Wembley for the first time in search of a win against a Spurs side in a similar situation. Both teams entered the clash off the back of disappointing defeats in their domestic competitions and seeking solace in the Champions League to go three points clear at the top of Group H.
Zidane's team settled comfortably on the ball from the start as they danced it around the home side, who eventually broke out of their shell and asked questions at the Madrid defence. Kane fired first, but Casilla was equal to it as he stretched to gather the striker's chip.
The Tottenham star was the main force behind the hosts' growing momentum, as he passed, dribbled, held off defenders and created danger in all areas of the pitch, proving a nuisance for centre-backs Nacho and Ramos.
Harry Winks also contributed greatly to Tottenham's triumph. The midfielder was awarded a sight on goal when the ball fell fortuitously to him inside the box and he missed his shot completely before attempting to dink it past Casilla who stood tall. Pochettino was forced to bring on Sissoko for Alderweireld, running the risk of disrupting their good moment with the change of personnel.
However, Tottenham took the lead straight away. Winks found the overlapping run from Trippier down the right and the wing-back played a sensational first-time ball across the face of goal for Dele Alli to bundle it home from close range.
Real Madrid came to life as they looked to bounce back immediately, but the relentless waves of attack were broken down by Tottenham's solid back line or a stellar Lloris. Cristiano Ronaldo grew frustrated as chance after chance went to waste for the visitors, but it was not to be.
The high line of pressure held by the home side allowed them to remain a threat while Real Madrid looked exposed at the back every time they pushed forward for an equaliser. After the break, after withstanding an onslaught from the European champions, Spurs doubled their lead.
The crowd at Wembley were already raising the roof with Tottenham's first-half exploits, and they were sent into delirium by Alli's second goal of the night. The playmaker picked up the ball 30 yards out and fainted a shot to shake off Casemiro, before his final effort took a horrible deflection off Ramos to wrong-foot Casilla.
Much like with the opener in the first half, Madrid looked for an immediate response and piled bodies forward. The home side got lucky when they cleared the ball twice off the line, as madness ensued inside the Spurs penalty area.
Real were committed forward and Pochettino's men took advantage to put the game out of reach on the counter-attack. Alli found Kane at the halfway line and the striker waited for the run of Eriksen who calmly slotted past Casilla to the dismay of the travelling fans.
The visitors were taken aback by the third blow but still refused to go down, even though Tottenham deconstructed the Spanish champions and began to knock the ball around pleasingly with cheers of 'Ole! Ole!' from the stands.
Alli fluffed his lines when Trippier's cross found him unmarked in between the centre-backs and missed out on the chance of bagging a hat-trick, before Harry Kane made way for Fernando Llorente. The striker received a standing ovation from the crowd who acknowledged his efforts in one of Tottenham's greatest-ever European nights.
Real Madrid still had time to score the consolation goal with the ball falling kindly to Ronaldo inside the area and the Portuguese striker did not miss from eight yards. The goal gave Zidane's men hope but it was too little too late as a handful of chances were squandered at either end before the referee brought the thrilling fixture to a close.
Tottenham claimed all three points with a famous performance to flatten the European and Spanish champions, and seal a place in the last sixteen for the first time since 2011.