Mauricio Pochettino hailed Tottenham’s “fantastic achievement” after they clinched top spot in their Champions League Group.

Pochettino insisted he never doubted his players after they lost the North London derby and claimed beating European heavyweights Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund proved they are genuine contenders.

Tottenham boss Pochettino , whose side came back from behind to win with goals from Harry Kane and Heung-Min Son, said: “It’s fantastic for us, fantastic achievement, top of the table, qualify for the next stage of the Champions League is new for us.

“We are competing with the best teams in Europe and doing fantastic. Sometimes you can perform not the best and lose, like at Arsenal Saturday.

Kane fires home Spurs' first of the night (
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Getty)
Heung-Min Son and Harry Kane celebrate after the Korean scores the winner (
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Getty)
Pochettino celebrates with his players (
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EPA)

“When you lose a derby you always try to play as soon as possible to put out the feeling. I think we showed that with the performance and victory. We feel proud. The team is doing fantastic. We feel very proud about everything.”

Pochettino admitted he feared the worst when they got Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund but claims they deserved to win the Group.

“The season before, we were watching the draw and we thought: ‘Oh Monaco, Leverkusen and CSKA and we thought we had a chance for the next stage. This draw we looked and thought: ‘OK we are going to compete…’ and we say nothing.

Harry Winks of Tottenham celebrates (
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Getty Images Europe)
Tottenham Hotspur players celebrate (
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Getty Images Europe)

“And look now we are first, top of the table. It was difficult because Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund and Apoel, they always difficult but we try to enjoy and be competitive and try to win, that was the idea in every single game.”

Kane added: “It is massive, an unbelievable night for the fans and the club. Everyone was doubting us before the group even started that we would not even get through, so a fantastic night.

"It was a big goal, we knew if we could take one chance we would be right back in it. Delighted to see the goal go in and what a finish by Son Heung-min.”

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